Cushman & Wakefield puts old University Library on Singel on the market
The UvA has started the sale of its former University Library building on the Singel, which is expected to generate tens of millions of euros. The listed complex, covering more than 18,000 square metres, is on the market since Friday through American real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.
The UvA has started the process of selling its former University Library building on the Singel. An advertisement was published in Het Financieele Dagblad last Friday, among other places, providing details of where interested parties can register. This is with the American real estate company Cushman & Wakefield, which will oversee the sale.
The advertisement does not mention a price, but the university can expect to receive a substantial sum for the joint sale of Singel 421, 423 and 425 and Handboogstraat 10 and 12.
Former UvA vice-president Hans Amman previously estimated to Folia that the UvA could fetch as much as €100 million for the historic building. More than ten years ago, he was already “spontaneously called by property developers asking whether we might want to sell the building”. According to Amman, the property was already valued at €50 to €60 million at the time. That figure is expected to have increased since then.
18,000 square metres
For that kind of money, the eventual buyer will certainly get something substantial in return. The property comprises more than 18,000 square metres of gross floor area on freehold land, spread across five building sections. All of this is located in a “prominent location in the heart of Amsterdam”, according to the advertisement: “The location directly opposite the lively Koningsplein gives the property excellent visibility and accessibility.”
At the same time, a buyer will face a number of challenges: major renovations or partial demolition are likely to be necessary – particularly if the new owner intends to give the property a retail or commercial use. The municipality’s zoning plan for the area will also have to be taken into account.
Farewell
The UvA is saying goodbye to its former University Library building, designed by architect Jan Leupen in the 1960s, now that the University Library has moved to Vendelstraat. As a result, the white building on the Singel, together with its associated buildings, has been unused for some time. The disposal of the property is part of the university’s new accommodation policy, which is increasingly focused on clustering facilities on larger campuses.
In the UvA’s Accommodation Plan, the university states that it aims to dispose of the property by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
