Belgian rail company SNCB/NMBS has put up three office complexes totaling 150,000 m2 for sale near Brussels' Gare du Midi (South) station.
The properties include the France-Bara complex, a large complex across from the international station featuring workshops, depots, and twelve buildings, totaling 73,000 m2.
Also on sale is the Atrium building, a triangular-shaped office block on Boulevard de la Porte de Hal boasting nearly 50,000 m2 spread across 15 floors.
The third asset offered is Delta-Zennewater, consisting of two interconnected office buildings located by the train tracks and offering a combined space of 27,000 m2.
Interested parties can submit an offer for the office complexes until September 3.
The sale is part of SNCB's plan to finance the construction of its new headquarters on the site of the old postal sorting facility on the opposite side of the station, on Rue Fonsny. The work on the new headquarters is expected to last three years, but the permit is subject to an appeal to the Council of State.
In 2020, SNCB/NMBS chose Besix - BPC/BPI and Immobel to build its new 75,000 m2 headquarters at the Brussels-South railway station. The new HQ will accommodate the management and employees of SNCB/NMBS and its subsidiary, HR Rail.
The winning proposal by architects OMA, Jaspers-Eyers, and Assar retains the three existing buildings on Avenue Fonsny and adds a contemporary extension along the side of the rail tracks.
The building will be a state-of-the-art facility with features promoting energy efficiency, such as solar panels and heat pumps. It will also be highly eco-efficient, aiming for BREEAM “Excellent” certification.
The planning permit for the new HQ was issued at the end of 2022, but residents and associations have appealed to the Council of State. SNCB hopes to begin the three-year construction project later this year.
The sale of the office buildings will only be finalized after the provisional delivery of the new SNCB headquarters.
