Press release
Bonhôte-Immobilier
Neuchâtel, 30 June 2016
Bonhôte-Immobilier celebrates its 10th anniversary and aims for a billion in property assets by 2018!
Created in 2006, Bonhôte-Immobilier has grown to become one of French Switzerland’s largest real estate funds with a property portfolio worth nearly CHF 900 million. After a successful capital increase conducted last year, Bonhôte-Immobilier invested in a number of new construction projects and now announces a new large-scale project covering more than 17,000 m2 in the heights of Neuchâtel. This year’s tenth anniversary of its incorporation marks a milestone in its remarkable growth. The property portfolio of Bonhôte-Immobilier comprises top-quality objects spread across Switzerland’s six French-speaking cantons, representing over 2500 flats and 35,000m2 of commercial and office space.
Bonhôte-Immobilier used part of the CHF 62.8 million of fresh capital raised in July 2015 to continue expanding by buying new projects for a total of CHF 60 million. These investments were concentrated in the cantons of Neuchâtel and Vaud, along the shores of Lakes Neuchâtel and Geneva, and in accordance with the fund’s general strategy in areas served by major roads and railways.
As an example, over CHF 14 million was invested in Le Landeron in two of the six buildings forming a new development a hundred yards from the shore of Lake Biel. These buildings house 24 apartments and 700m2 of retail space rented by Coop. Another CHF 34.3 million was committed for the three coming years in a multi-purpose project in Morges that will include 35 dwellings and about 2000m2 of commercial and office space. One of the main reasons for choosing this development was the vicinity of the lake, enabling Bonhôte-Immobilier to gain its first foothold on the lakeshore between Lausanne and Geneva.
Meanwhile, after two years of work, the fourth and final stage of construction was completed at end-March on a rental building south of the Delémont railway station providing a diversified mix of residential space. A total of 52 new flats have been put on the local market, together with four sets of townhouses comprising 12 condominiums.
The last purchase to date was in Neuchâtel, a 17,500m2 parcel of land on a unique site west of the city. Combining seven smaller lots, it is only partially built on and thus offers considerable development potential. This is one of the last top-quality sites left in the area and even in the municipality. It faces due south, with an unobstructed view of the Alps, and is quiet while still being close to downtown. All these merits convinced the fund to pounce on such a rare opportunity in the region.