Westend Real Assets acquires two Hamburg data centres as fund exceeds €200 million

Westend Real Assets has acquired two operational data centres in Hamburg on behalf of its specialised investment fund, HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1, expanding the portfolio to three properties with a total fund size exceeding €200 million.

The acquisition, structured as an asset deal, includes the Leuchtturm data centre in Hamburg-Alsterdorf, constructed in 2013, and the Rahlstedt facility in Hamburg-Rahlstedt, completed in 2024. The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Both properties operate as regional colocation data centres, providing infrastructure that allows multiple customers to house and operate their IT equipment within shared facilities. The sites are operated by German IT services provider akquinet and serve customers including companies in the municipal services sector.

The Alsterdorf facility was the first colocation data centre in Germany to receive the Blue Angel environmental certification (DE-UZ 214), awarded under Germany’s environmental labelling programme. The certification addresses environmental standards and energy efficiency in data centre operations.

According to Westend Real Assets, both properties are subject to long-term lease arrangements and have the potential to accommodate additional IT capacity. The company has not disclosed the current installed capacity, occupancy levels, lease durations or the investment required for future expansion.

The acquisition increases the fund’s holdings to three data centre properties in Germany. HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1 is a specialised alternative investment fund aimed at institutional investors, focusing on existing facilities with established rental income and opportunities for technical upgrades.

Demand for regional data centre infrastructure is being influenced by businesses and public institutions seeking greater control over where their information is stored and processed. Data protection requirements, operational resilience and concerns about dependence on international cloud providers are among the factors shaping investment decisions in the sector.

For commercial property investors, data centres represent a specialised segment of the real estate market, with income potential linked to long-term occupancy and demand for digital infrastructure. Operating costs, electricity availability, cooling systems and future capital expenditure remain important considerations when assessing such assets.

Westend Real Assets has identified further technical development and energy-efficiency improvements as potential areas of investment within its portfolio. The company has not provided individual property valuations, rental yields or expected financial returns associated with the Hamburg acquisitions.

The transaction adds two existing income-producing digital infrastructure properties to the fund, while providing potential for additional capacity as demand for regional data processing and storage facilities develops in Germany.