Fieldfisher advises NEXT Generation Invest GmbH on building acquisition for use by the North Rhine-Westphalia School of Finance

NEXT Generation Invest GmbH, the Frankfurt-based investment and asset manager focused on impact investments, has acquired three buildings with 322 residential apartments in Herford for one of its funds by way of a sale-and-leaseback. The buildings will be used by the "Hochschule für Finanzen des Landes NRW" to accommodate its students. NEXT was legally advised by Dr. Matthias Heßler and lawyers from the European law firm Fieldfisher.

The Fieldfisher team, consisting of Partner Philipp Stricharz and Senior Associate Maureen Pitzen (both Real Estate, Hamburg) as well as Partners Kai-Oliver Krüger (Corporate), Thilo Danz (Regulatory) and Andre Happel (Tax) and Senior Asscoiate Roya Bayatloo (Corporate, all Frankfurt), supported NEXT in the acquisition review and the structuring under corporate and fund law, the contract negotiations and the implementation of the transaction. The project developer and future tenant is the Hanseatic City of Herford, with which a long-term general lease agreement was concluded. The buildings will be operated by Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Hansestadt Herford mbH (SEH). The Hanseatic City of Herford, together with the 100%-owned Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Hansestadt Herford mbH, developed the areas of the "Wentworth Barracks" and "Hammersmith Barracks", formerly used by the British Army of the Rhine, as new urban quarters. The construction of the apartments is part of this neighborhood development. Already in 2017, the Hochschule für Finanzen NRW (HSF) was located there, whose students now have the opportunity to use the apartments acquired by NEXT as part of their training.

Oliver Grossmann, one of the founders of NEXT along with Hannes Ressel and Dr. Matthias Heßler, is pleased with the successfully completed transaction: "This is a property that - in close partnership with the city of Herford - achieves a long-term and measurable social impact and enables HSF students to focus fully on their education at this crucial point in their professional careers." Hannes Ressel adds, "The purchase fits exactly into our strategy: we provide the capital for impact-oriented infrastructure that offers lasting added value both for Herford as a location and for our investors." In addition to the building's high social relevance through the creation of adequate and affordable living space and access to high-quality education, the building stands out for its exceptionally high energy quality. This makes it possible to almost fully achieve the national climate protection targets for the year 2050 derived from the Paris Climate Agreement.