Property Type

Special objects

One point of contact for all your operational and a-typical real estate issues. No longer considered alternative, operational real estate (OPRE) is a firmly established sector, with unique drivers.

An alternative type of real estate.

Atypical real estate

Refers to property that does not fall within traditional categories. This may be property that is unique, historic, or has a special status. Atypical property can also be property that is operationally inactive or not used for its original purpose, such as a former factory, an old school, or a prison. Where repurposing seems obvious, the property type often takes on a new function and can thus be characterised as a special property.

Real estate cases

This includes guiding the purchase and sale processes of atypical real estate, such as leasehold land or development sites. Advising owners on complex strategic real estate issues or guiding them in transforming or (re)developing the current function into alternative uses. Within CBRE's global organisation, there is always expertise available to advise on specialist real estate issues.

Property Expertise

Redevelopments and Transformations

Locations with redevelopment potential are often characterised by outdated buildings, vacancy or expiring leases. This presents opportunities for a new owner to add value - by redeveloping to a new function or by renovating and attracting new tenants at market rents.

We offer tailor-made strategic advice for such locations. We conduct thorough financial analyses, develop multiple scenarios and, together with our Development Management team, test the feasibility and value of each scenario. In this way, we support owners in making informed choices about the future of their property.

Our approach focuses on maximising value, with an eye for urban planning, legal and market aspects. In this way, we ensure that each property is optimally positioned in the market.


Adaptive Reuse

Sale & Leaseback

When companies want to free up capital to invest, for example, in their core business, we conduct sale & leaseback transactions. We advise on the optimal sales strategy, determine the market rent level and structure the transaction so that it is both financially and operationally attractive for the seller.

With this approach, we create not only immediate value, but also continuity in the operational use of the property. Thus, the company remains operational in the same location, while the released capital can be utilized for growth and innovation.


Own vs. Lease

Development & Investment Strategy

Real estate for research & development (R&D) is rapidly gaining popularity among investors. This involves buildings that combine office functions with specialist facilities, such as laboratories. These properties must meet additional technical and legal requirements, which calls for a well-considered development and investment strategy.

We advise on the positioning, development and sale of R&D real estate. Thanks to our knowledge of this segment from multiple perspectives and our experience with locations such as the Leiden Bio Science Park, we guide transactions and development processes from start to finish.


Read more about Life Sciences

Buildings & Systems

Special projects, such as data centres, are a rapidly growing segment within the global property market, with unique technical, digital and infrastructural requirements. These locations require specialist knowledge in the areas of energy supply, cooling, security and connectivity.

We provide support in the purchase, sale and (re)development of locations that extend far beyond national borders. We also advise on market positioning, returns and risk management. With our integrated approach, we help investors and developers to take full advantage of the opportunities within this dynamic sector.


Property Type Data centres

Related case studies

Aerial view of a city with a river in the foreground, surrounded by residential and office buildings, green areas and a peninsula of industrial buildings.
Redevelopment: Hunter Douglas Rotterdam

We conducted an advisory and sales process for Hunter Douglas with a multidisciplinary team. For Hunter Douglas, we managed the sale of their former awning production site in Rotterdam, located in a prominent spot on the Kop van Zuid, directly on the river Maas. This was a 60,600 square meters factory site with detached buildings of approximately 54,000 square meters gross floor area of offices and industrial space.

Given its unique location and size, the site offered considerable redevelopment potential. To make the most of this, we carried out a development study and initiated dialogue with the Municipality of Rotterdam at an early stage. The study showed that the site offered space for about 200,000 square meters of new construction, of which about 75% could be earmarked for housing and 25% for other functions.

In cooperation with urban development agency KCAP, an ambition document was drawn up reflecting the joint vision of Hunter Douglas and the municipality. By making this vision clear even before the market approach, we strengthened the confidence of potential buyers and positively influenced the bidding process.

Aerial view of a large industrial complex with several buildings, surrounded by farmland, greenhouses and some residential houses.
Sale & Leaseback: Syngenta Seeds Enkhuizen

Syngenta Seeds is a leading agricultural company focused on the development, production and sale of seeds and crop protection products. We worked closely together to realise a strategic sale and leaseback transaction.

The transaction involved a 34-hectare site consisting of an office building, high-tech greenhouses, production facilities and laboratories. The intensive cooperation with Syngenta Seeds allowed us to formulate a lease structure that was both well-suited to their operational needs, met future growth ambitions and was attractive to the investment market.

Securing a market-based rent level in a long-term 20-year lease created a solid investment proposition. At the same time, Syngenta Seeds got the opportunity to release capital and reinvest in their core business. This transaction thus provided both financial flexibility for Syngenta and a stable return prospect for investors.

Aerial view of an industrial area with large warehouses, roads, railway lines and in the background green fields and residential areas under a partly cloudy sky.
Private Leasehold: De Mispelaar Eindhoven

De Mispelaar is a good example of an atypical property transaction characterised by extremely long leases with a weighted average term of around 75 years at the time of sale. In this sale, we sold the bare ownership of land that has been on a long-term long lease to various leaseholders. In total, almost 440,000 square meters of land was sold.

The sale of De Mispelaar is an example of a unique and complex real estate transaction, which required a customised market approach. The site faced significant legal and environmental challenges but thanks to careful preparation, a successful sale was ultimately realised.

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