Exactly four years after acquiring the then completely vacant office tower with a total of 17,200 m² of lettable space, FAKT AG sold the property. In September 2019, the 22-storey tower, its adjoining low-rise section and underground car park—fully revitalised and almost fully let—were sold to Wealthcap Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH. The purchase price was not disclosed. Essen-based agency Brockhoff & Partner advised on the transaction.

Wealthcap, a Munich-based real asset and investment manager, develops sustainable offerings with stable returns and long-term growth potential for private investors, as well as structured solutions tailored to the needs of professional investors.

One of Essen’s first high-rises, built in the 1960s, the building has become an icon of the city’s office market and has a rich history. “The successful revitalisation shows that the combination of height and architectural lightness is worth preserving and can still create a modern landmark today,” says Prof. emeritus Hubert Schulte-Kemper, Chairman of FAKT AG, commenting on the sale of the RUHR Tower. FAKT AG successfully repositioned the property over the preceding four years, transforming it into an environmentally efficient “greenhouse” while advancing the heritage protection of this historic building.

The anchor tenant is coworking provider Design Offices, which signed a lease for around 7,000 m² of office space that year with an option for a further 3,000 m². Other tenants include Deutsche Bank, staffing company Hays, Wirtschaftsförderung Metropole Ruhr, Check24, international IT service provider FPT Deutschland GmbH, and a joint venture between Innogy and Burda subsidiary C3.

The RUHR Tower is regarded as one of the landmarks of Essen’s office market. The 80-metre-high tower was built with a steel frame and was one of the Ruhr region’s first high-rises constructed using progressive methods. Its architectural quality and historical significance led to its inclusion on the list of protected monuments in 2015.

The 17,200 m² building, adjoining low-rise section and parking garage with around 200 spaces first opened in 1961 as the Rheinstahl high-rise. It later served as the headquarters of Thyssen Industrie AG and became known as Thyssen-Haus.

FAKT Group acquired the complex, which stands on a site of approximately 5,000 m² at Am Thyssenhaus 1–3, in 2015. It then completely revitalised the property to meet current energy and technical standards. The building now meets the needs of modern office users and was renamed RUHR Tower to reflect its increasingly international tenant mix.

Further information about the RUHR Tower is available at www.ruhr-tower.com.