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Munich, July 20, 2018. Allianz and QUEST Investment Partners have jointly acquired the Überseehaus office and commercial building at Baumwall 5-7 in Hamburg, which was built in the 1980s. The multi-tenant property is optimally connected to public transport and has around 11,300 sqm of space, most of which is rented. The aim is to reposition the asset, a nine-storey building located in a prominent location on Baumwall with views of the Speicherstadt, Elbphilharmonie and the Port of Hamburg as part of a joint venture. QUEST will take over the active asset and project management. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Allianz Real Estate acquired the building on behalf of several Allianz insurance companies.

“We are delighted that we were able to acquire our first manage-to-core project in Hamburg with Überseehaus,” says Annette Kröger, CEO at Allianz Real Estate Germany. “We see great development opportunities for this traditional building with its striking architecture. We are also pleased to be working with QUEST Investment Partners.” For Allianz, this is the first joint venture with a project developer in Germany.

“The fact that we have been able to convince Allianz with our work and win them over as partners for this attractive project is a fine confirmation of our investment strategy,” says Jan Rouven Künzel, managing partner of QUEST. “Over the next few years, the property is to be modernised. The efficient office space in the best Elbe location with views of the Elbphilharmonie and the harbour will enable the property to be optimally repositioned on the Hamburg real estate market in the medium term”.

Allianz and QUEST Investment Partners were advised exclusively by Jebens Mensching LLP and Hansa Partner.

Press contact:

Allianz Real Estate Claire Fraser
+49 (0) 89 3800 8236
claire.fraser@allianz.com

Citigate Dewe Rogerson (UK) Nick Corrin / Patrick Evans / Hugh Fasken
+44 (0) 20 7638 9571
nick.corrin@citigatedewerogerson.com / hugh.fasken@citigatedewerogerson.com / patrick.evans@citigatedewerogerson.com

QUEST Investment Partners Stefanie Rother
+49 (0) 160 972 88 057
rother@quest-investment.com

About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers with more than 86 million retail and corporate customers. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing over 650 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers while our asset managers Allianz Global Investors and PIMCO manage an additional 1.3 trillion euros of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we hold a leading position in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2016, over 140,000 employees in more than 70 countries achieved total revenue of 122 billion euros and an operating profit of 11 billion euros for the group.

About Allianz Real Estate
Allianz Real Estate is the strategic real estate organization within the Allianz Group and a leading international real estate investment and asset manager. Allianz Real Estate develops and executes worldwide tailored portfolio and investment strategies on behalf of the Allianz companies, considering direct as well as indirect investments and real estate loans. The operational management of investments and assets is currently performed in 5 regions, West Europe (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain), North & Central Europe (Austria, CEE, Germany, Ireland, Nordics), Switzerland, USA and Asia Pacific. The headquarters of Allianz Real Estate are located in Munich and Paris. Allianz Real Estate has approximately 56 billion euros assets under management.

About QUEST Investment Partners
QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations of major German cities. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping.
www.quest-investment.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this document or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results and developments may therefore differ considerably from the expectations and assumptions made.
Such deviations may arise due to, without limitation, (i) changes of the general economic conditions and competitive situation, particularly in the Allianz Group’s core business and core markets, (ii) performance of financial markets (particularly market volatility, liquidity and credit events), (iii) frequency and severity of insured loss events, including from natural catastrophes, and the development of loss expenses, (iv) mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (v) persistency levels, (vi) particularly in the banking business, the extent of credit defaults, (vii) interest rate levels, (viii) currency exchange rates including the euro/US-dollar exchange rate, (ix) changes in laws and regulations, including tax regulations, (x) the impact of acquisitions, including related integration issues, and reorganization measures, and (xi) general competitive factors, in each case on a local, regional, national and/or global basis. Many of these factors may be more likely to occur, or more pronounced, as a result of terrorist activities and their consequences.

No duty to update
The company is under no obligation to update the information and the forward-looking statements made in this report, provided there is no statutory publication requirement.

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Hamburg, 05 July 2018. Good news for start-ups, project teams and freelancers in Bremen: starting in mid-2019, co-working provider Spaces will be offering modern workplaces along with office and conference rooms in an inspiring atmosphere at Ansgari Haus.

Spaces operator International Workplace Group plc (IWG) will be opening its doors at the centrally located Bremer Carrée, covering around 3,200 m² across five floors. The flexible office concept with modern design furniture also includes a café with its own barista. IWG is the global market leader for flexible office solutions and currently operates around 3,300 business centres in 120 countries, 105 of them in Germany. Spaces has signed a multi-year lease for Ansgari Haus.

Ansgari House, which was acquired and modernised by property developer QUEST Investment Partners in July 2017, is now fully let. The fashion store AppelrathCüpper will open its doors in spring 2019, covering 2,400 m² across three floors.
“The two new main tenants at Ansgari Haus are a real asset for Bremen’s city centre. They will revive Obernstraße and help provide new momentum,” says Jan Rouven Künzel, Managing Partner at QUEST Investment Partners.

“Our offer starts with a membership that gives access to the co-working stations at our Business Club. In addition, our members can rent their own offices from 16 m² upwards and use meeting rooms and the relevant technology for presentations as required,” says Daniel C. Grimm, Development Director Germany at Spaces. Spaces comes from Amsterdam and is based on the idea that success is contagious. Freethinkers and creative professionals can use the co-working environment or organised networking and business events to exchange ideas and inspire each other.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping. www.quest-investment.com

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Hamburg, 08 May 2018. Following the recently completed acquisition of the Lenzhaus in Berlin, the project developers at QUEST Investment Partners have signed the first long-term contract with TAG Immobilien AG for approx. 2,000 m² of rental space.

“In concluding the first rental agreement for the fourth quarter of 2018, we are pleased to demonstrate the high quality of the property and its location, which substantiates the sustainability of our investment in Berlin,” emphasizes Arne Siemens, General Manager of QUEST’s Berlin office. BNP Paribas Real Estate acted as broker in the letting process.
Located between Zoologischer Garten, Kurfürstendamm and Potsdamer Platz, the property currently offers a further 3,200 m² of high-end office space for rent.

The floor plans behind the listed façade offer ample flexibility in terms of usage as well as high room quality. In addition, the inner courtyard is to be reactivated and the roof terrace is to provide inviting spaces for relaxation and events.

Located in the direct vicinity of Kurfürstendamm 1, the Lenzhaus was built in 1928/1929 by Heinrich Straumer, the architect of Berlin’s 145 metre radio tower. It was one of the first high-rise office buildings in Berlin for the construction group Lenz & Co. With its eight storeys, the Lenzhaus was three storeys higher than permissible at the time but could nevertheless be constructed thanks to an exceptional permit. In designing the Lenzhaus, Straumer focused on simple elegance and combined the Art Deco style of American high-rise buildings of the 1920s with Gothic elements such as the lesenes on the façade. A lesene is a narrow and slightly protruding vertical reinforcement of the wall. The pilaster strip is used to decorate smooth walls, but also to reinforce the supporting structure.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping. www.quest-investment.com

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Hamburg, 02 May 2018. In early 2019, the project developers at QUEST Investment Partners will begin the full refurbishment of the listed building at Ballindamm 17 in Hamburg. Close to 13,000 m² of rental space in a premium location directly on the Binnenalster lake will be restructured in a contemporary way and equipped with new building services. To this end, the seven-storey building will be extensively gutted and revitalised; the historical condition will be partially restored. The main entrance, for instance, is to be returned to its original location from 1921. In addition, the inner courtyard with its charming brick façade is to be upgraded in the style of Berlin’s Hackesche Höfe and made available for use. A new addition are attractive roof terraces with views of the Binnenalster.

Going forward, each floor will provide around 1,800 m² of high-end office space. The ground floor is intended for retail and restaurant spaces. A renovation of the façade will lend the building on Ballindamm a new appearance. Completion is scheduled for 2020.

In 1901/02 the architects Lundt & Kallmorgen designed the office building for the trading and shipping company A.C. de Freitas & Co. In 1905 and 1921, two further building sections were completed, which means that the building now features three components from different years of construction.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping.
www.quest-investment.com

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Hamburg, 24 April 2018. The Hamburg real estate project development company QUEST Investment Partners has acquired the site “Neue Burg 1” in Hamburg’s Nikolai district from HIH Projektentwicklung GmbH. On the site at Hopfenmarkt, QUEST is planning to develop a nine-storey office building with approx. 6,470 m² of rental space, of which approx. 5,500 m² will serve as office space along with an underground car park with 20 parking spaces. Thanks to its flexible structure, the space can be used to suit individual requirements: single or group offices are just as possible as an open-plan solution. The ground floor offers space for shop units that can also be used for food services.

The cube-shaped property designed by the architects Stölken Schmidt features slender lines that rise up vertically on the outer façade. It thus harmonises perfectly with the adjacent memorial St. Nikolai Church. The project is already under construction and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2019. QUEST will use parts of Neue Burg 1 for its own purposes.

Neue Burg 1 is located in Hamburg’s Nikolai district, the largest inner-city European Business Improvement District (BID) with a project volume of 9.3 million euros. It runs from the Chamber of Commerce to Rödingsmarkt and from Alter Wall to Willy-Brandt-Straße. Within the time frame of the BID from August 2014 to July 2019, various measures have been and will be implemented to convert the site back into an attractive retail and office location in downtown Hamburg. The BID will also shift the focus back to historical places such as the Trostbrücke bridge, the building of the Patriotic Society, Neue Burg and St. Nikolai memorial.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping. www.quest-investment.com

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Hamburg, 11 April 2018. After the Hamburg real estate project development company QUEST Investment Partners acquired part of the Bremer Carrée in July 2017, the new major tenant of this distinctive five-storey retail property has now been determined: the fashion group AppelrathCüpper has signed a rental agreement and will open its doors to the public in spring 2019. The property is currently being fitted with a modern, high-quality steel-glass façade with DecoColour glass. It is situated in one of the most heavily frequented parts of downtown Bremen and enjoys a high degree of visibility thanks to its location at the street corner. To do justice to the historical location at Ansgarikirchhof, QUEST officially renamed this part of the Bremer Carrée ensemble “Ansgari Haus”.

“Our aim was to give positive momentum to Bremen’s city centre with a new concept. AppelrathCüpper helps to raise the profile and status of the location and the building,” says Jan Rouven Künzel, Managing Partner at QUEST Investment Partners. The fashion store will occupy an area of some 2,400 m² across three floors. The opening is planned for spring 2019.
On the basement and ground floor, approximately 600 m² of additional space are earmarked for a restaurant concept. Office spaces ranging from 450 to 2,000 m² are available on the 2nd and 3rd floor.

In Bremen, AppelrathCüpper is opening its 16th store in Germany. Frank Rheinboldt, CEO of the fashion store founded in 1882, sees great potential in the Hanseatic city: “Bremen is the tenth largest city in Germany. According to population forecasts, it is set to grow by another three percent by 2030. Various real estate projects in Bremen will increase the city’s appeal and we are convinced that our new store will contribute to this and successfully complement the fashion range of the Hanseatic city.”

The real estate agency Comfort Hamburg acted as a consultant in the letting process.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. For retail developments, the focus lies on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping. www.quest-investment.com

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Hamburg, 18 January 2018. QUEST Investment Partners has acquired the Lenzhaus at Kurfürstenstraße 87 in Berlin from Barings Real Estate Advisers, making this its second acquisition in Berlin. After securing the first property on Brunnenstraße last autumn, QUEST’s Berlin project portfolio has thus been enriched by a prominent building with Berlin history.

With its eight storeys, the Lenzhaus, built in 1928-29 by the architect Heinrich Straumer, is considered one of the first office high-rises in Berlin. In addition to its history, the building also features a listed façade and a historical staircase. The Lenzhaus is named after its first owner and user, the construction group Lenz & Co. It has already been home to the Berlin Regional Finance Office (Oberfinanzdirektion), the Berlin Property Allocation Office (Vermögenszuordnungsstelle) and the Berlin Federal Property Department (Bundesvermögensabteilung), as well as the Berliner Volksbank until spring 2018.

Barings Real Estate Advisers had purchased the property in 2015 for an individual fund of a German pension scheme, with the aim of letting it after the Berliner Volksbank moves out. “Meanwhile, the tremendous development of the market and the location, which we ourselves are influencing through our neighbouring project development ‘The Westlight – Berlin’, has led to a similarly positive development of the property value, which we have now realised through the sale,” says Nick Puschkasch, Managing Director at Barings Real Estate Advisers and Director of the Berlin branch.

The approx. 5,000 m² of office space can be rented out as individual storeys or in their entirety to a single tenant. “We are pleased to see that our Berlin activities are making progress with the historically significant building that is Lenzhaus. With its attractive location and its potential for value creation, the property is a perfect match for our investment strategy,” says Jan-Rouven Künzel, Managing Partner at QUEST Investment Partners.

The consultancy firm Cushman & Wakefield acted as broker in the transaction; Greenberg Traurig Germany LLP acted as legal adviser to the buyer whilst King & Spalding provided legal counsel to the seller.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping. www.quest-investment.com

About Barings

Barings is a $300+ billion* global financial services firm dedicated to meeting the evolving investment and capital needs of our clients. We build lasting partnerships that leverage our distinctive expertise across traditional and alternative asset classes to deliver innovative solutions and exceptional service. Part of MassMutual, Barings maintains a strong global presence with over 1,800 professionals and offices in 16 countries. Learn more at www.barings.com

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Hamburg, 16 January 2018. For months now, the people of Hamburg have been witnessing the changes to the striking high-rise building at Willy-Brandt-Str. 23: Kallmorgen Tower, an office building constructed in 1968 for IBM and inspired by a Hollerith punch card, is currently being gutted and completely renovated by the real estate project development company QUEST Investment Partners. The tenant has now been determined: starting in mid-2018, SPACES will offer creative professionals, start-ups, project teams and freelancers modern workplaces, office and conference rooms, along with a range of other services in an inspiring atmosphere. With an area of around 7,500 m², Kallmorgen Tower will be one of the largest co-working centres in Germany and the largest centre operated by Regus in the country. The office sizes range from 15 to 450 m². “We see great potential in Hamburg, not least because the start-up scene is currently growing tremendously. The conference floor is located on the 16th floor and boasts spectacular views of Hamburg and the Elbphilharmonie. These premises can also be rented by third parties on an hourly basis,” says Daniel C. Grimm, Development Director Germany at SPACES operator Regus. Regus, the global market leader for flexible office solutions, operates around 3,300 business centres in 120 countries, 101 of them in Germany.

QUEST Investment Partners erwarb das von dem Hamburger Architekten Werner Kallmorgen entworfene siebzehn-geschossige Gebäude im Jahr 2016. Theja Geyer, geschäftsführender Gesellschafter von QUEST: „Kallmorgen war ein Vordenker. 1968 wirkte sein Bau geradezu futuristisch, heute ist er ein Klassiker. Spannend ist, dass sich die Zukunftsorientiertheit des Gebäudes nun mit der modernsten aller Büronutzungsformen wiederholt: dem Coworking-Center.“ Seit Anfang 2017 ist QUEST dabei, das denkmalgeschützte Haus durch aufwändige bauliche Maßnahmen wieder auf das ursprüngliche, von Kallmorgen konzipierte Fassadenkonzept zurückzuführen. Die Montage der neuen Außenfassade begann im September.

Interessierte Bürger und Architekturliebhaber erhalten auf einer eigens eingerichteten Website spannende Einblicke in den Baufortschritt. Zahlreiche Fotos dokumentieren die Fertigstellung der neuen und alten Hamburger Stilikone: http://www.kallmorgen-tower.de/

Bei der Vermietung waren BNP Paribas Real Estate vermittelnd, die Kanzlei Jebens Mensching beratend tätig.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping.

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Hamburg, 26 October 2017. At Cremon 1, the Hamburg project development company QUEST Investment Partners is constructing a new property with approximately 2,500 m² of space for offices and restaurants.

The area, which has been undeveloped since the 1960s, is located at the former harbour gate, where the development of the Port of Hamburg began in 1188. In consultation with the City of Hamburg and the Office for the Protection of Historical Monuments, and with the help of the architects gmp von Gerkan, Marg und Partner, the original state of the former harbour entrance to Hamburg’s inland port is to be restored. Cremon 1 is being developed as a counterpart to the Haus der Seefahrt on the opposite side. The height, proportions and materials of the new, high-end property blend in with the Haus der Seefahrt to visually revive the former harbour gate and pay tribute to the importance of this place.

“The property offers a fantastic view of Speicherstadt, the Elbphilharmonie and of course the River Elbe. We are witnessing strong demand for spaces in Hamburg’s harbour periphery, which will continue to develop positively in the coming years,” says Theja Geyer, Managing Partner at QUEST Investment Partners.

The works will commence in mid-2018 and are scheduled for completion in 2020.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping.

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Hamburg, 04 October 2017. Opened three months ago, the Berlin branch of the project development company QUEST Investment Partners is starting its operative business in Berlin. The first acquisition was a commercial property at Brunnenstraße 128 with approx. 6,000 m² of rental space. In addition, the company will be able to announce a further transaction at the turn of the year. “We are very pleased to have successfully entered the Berlin market with two properties just three months after opening our branch,” explains Jan Rouven Künzel, Managing Partner at QUEST.

The office building on Brunnenstraße allows us to re-let a large part of the space at short notice. The seven-storey building from the 1990s boasts large ceilings and light-flooded office spaces. Thanks to generous but efficient layouts and great flexibility in terms of usage, modern work environments can be created with open-plan areas and individual office structures. “The quality of this location has increased greatly in recent years. We are modernising the façade as well as the entrance and common areas, thus generating the potential for a creative development of the rental space that suits the neighbourhood,” emphasizes Arne Siemens, Manager at QUEST in Berlin.

The consulting firm Cushman & Wakefield acted as broker in the acquisition of the building.

About QUEST Investment Partners

QUEST Investment Partners is a real estate project development and investment company with offices in Hamburg and Berlin. QUEST focuses on investments in commercial and residential properties with upside potential in top locations in Hamburg and Berlin. In retail developments the focus is on good inner-city locations in German metropolitan regions. The QUEST team has extensive experience in the development of high-quality real estate projects and continuously aims at increasing the real estate values of its shareholders and investors. QUEST’s shareholders are the managing directors Theja Geyer and Jan Rouven Künzel as well as the investment holding company of the Hamburg entrepreneur Erck Rickmers who is invested in real estate, equity investments and shipping.

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