Priory Court and The Lewis Building are two adjoined office buildings offering premium, grade A office space with high street retail areas on the ground floor. At the time, this acquisition more than doubled the firm’s total income generating AUM in the UK to more than GBP 220 million.

GII considered this property an especially attractive investment proposition for a variety of reasons:

Historic Landmark Property – The Lewis Building, in its original avatar as the historic Lewis’s Department Store, was one of Birmingham’s best loved institutions and considered the forerunner of the modern department store.

Refurbished to Global Standards – The property’s recent contemporary refurbishment is both sustainably designed for the 21st century while celebrating the grandeur and classic finishes of the original 1920s-era building. The floor plates were remodelled to provide some of the largest and most sought-after commercial space in Birmingham.

Prime Location – The property is in close proximity to Birmingham Airport and 550 meters away from the future High Speed 2 Terminal (UK’s single most significant infrastructure project scheduled to be operational by 2026) that will enable commuter travel to London in under an hour. In addition, the development has unrivalled access to the city’s transport infrastructure, with a tram line stop at the entrance of the Lewis Building. The city’s two mainline railway stations, New Street and Snow Hill, are within a short walk and the new Midlands Metro line has a stop directly outside the property.

Urban Economic and Infrastructural Development – Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city, continues to be transformed through unprecedented infrastructure investment, a repositioning of the city’s retail and leisure provisions and a new wave of inward investment raising the city’s business profile and propelling the real estate market.

High Value and Long-Term Income Yielding Tenants – The property is multi-let to creditworthy tenants on long term leases with more than 60% of the income secured against a long-term lease commitment from the UK Government.

Together, Priory Court and The Lewis Building fully benefit from what Birmingham has to offer in a modern setting, ensuring its long-term leasing marketability in a robust market. Find out more about this exquisite property in the video below: