HIH Invest Acquires Mixed-Use Property in Landau from Schroders

HIH Invest has acquired the mixed-use property Maxi34 in Landau in der Pfalz, Germany, from Schroders Capital for a real estate special fund. The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

The property, located at Maximilianstraße 32-34, comprises a total lettable area of 3,979 square metres and is fully leased on a long-term basis. Originally constructed in 1998, the building underwent a modernization and extension in 2021, when two additional floors were added.

The ground floor, offering 2,079 square metres of retail space along with 180 outdoor parking spaces, is leased to Aldi Süd. The upper floors provide 1,900 square metres of residential accommodation operated by Studierendenwerk Vorderpfalz, which manages a student residence with 34 apartments and capacity for 65 students. The scheme includes single, double and triple apartments, as well as barrier-free and parent-child units.

Henriette Benassi, Head of Transaction Management Social & Healthcare at HIH Invest, said the acquisition offered investors a resilient mixed-use asset with additional sustainability potential. She noted that future ESG measures could include the installation of photovoltaic systems, LED lighting upgrades, smart meters, green roofing solutions and the use of waste heat to improve the building’s environmental performance.

Currently, the retail areas are heated using gas, while the residential units combine gas heating with heat pump systems. According to the city’s heating strategy, the property could be connected to district heating from 2030 onward. Two parking spaces are already equipped with electric vehicle charging stations.

Nils Heetmeyer, Managing Director at Schroders Real Estate, said the transaction underlined continued investor demand for high-quality mixed-use properties with stable cash flows, despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges.

Landau in der Pfalz has a population of around 49,000 and is forecast to grow by approximately 4 percent by 2040. More than 7,500 residents are students, representing over 15 percent of the town’s population. The property is centrally located on Maximilianstraße, approximately 1.5 kilometres from the university campus, which can be reached by bicycle in around five minutes.

Aldi has operated at the location for more than 20 years and benefits from the nearby presence of other major food retailers including Kaufland and Lidl.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek advised HIH Invest on legal and tax matters, while CASE Real Estate conducted the technical and ESG due diligence. Schroder Real Estate KVG was advised by BNP Paribas Real Estate and DLA Piper during the sales process.