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Abacus Property Group (ASX:ABP), with joint venture partners KKR and Riverlee Group, has exchanged contracts for the sale of World Trade Centre in Melbourne CBD for $267.5 million.
Abacus and KKR purchased 70% of the property from Riverlee Group, owned by Clement Lee, in October 2014 for $120.4 million, valuing the entire property at $172.0 million at that time.
Abacus has a 17.5% interest in the joint venture.
Paul Henley of Knight Frank and Rob Anderson of JLL brokered the deal.
The management improved occupancy at the building from 90% to 99% since 2014.
The Thales lease of 8,600sqm was extended for a further seven years, in addition to the leasing of another 5,000sqm of space, and a capital works program that improved the NABERS green star rating of the property from 2.5 to 4 stars.
The new owners, an undisclosed group reportedly from Malaysia, will need to find a new major tenant for the building in 2020, when the Victoria Police move into a new headquarters on Spencer Street.
The Wolrd Trade Centre will yield an equity internal rate of return of more than 30%. Settlement is scheduled for June 2017.
KKR & Co is an New York Stock Exchange listed company with US$98 billion under management.
Abacus Property Group is trading steady this morning at $2.895 per share.
Business News Australia
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