1. Australia: Investment firm to acquire hotel operator
Hospitality-focused conglomerate EVT Limited plans to acquire the operator of 15 hotels with 3,200 rooms in Australia and New Zealand, marking its entry into third-party hotel management as regional tourism demand rises.
A new division of the Sydney-based company, EVT Connect Hospitality, will take over management of hotels currently operated by a division of Pro-invest Group, with financial details not disclosed. EVT already owns properties operating under regional brands such as Atura Hotels, Lylo, QT Hotels and Rydges Hotels & Resorts.
2. UK: Accounting giants boost London office requirements
PwC has joined other global business consulting and accounting firms looking to expand their London office footprints amid changing return-to-office policies.
Sources said PwC is working with brokerage Cushman & Wakefield to scout 250,000 to 300,000 square feet of office space, as it reviews its London portfolio ahead of an upcoming lease expiration. Rival Deloitte is also reported to be reviewing its London presence as it seeks to recover space vacated during the pandemic, and Ernst & Young recently chose to extend an existing lease until 2040 ahead of a pending expiration.
3. France: Luxury retailer LVMH eyes Paris expansion
Luxury retailer LVMH, owner of brands like Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co., is negotiating with the city of Paris on plans to renovate a prominent commercial property to house the headquarters for its jewelry-focused operations, after some of its largest rivals completed big-ticket building purchases and lease signings in the French capital.
For many years, the luxury giants have been making record acquisitions on Paris’s most prestigious avenues. Hermès, for example, paid around €300 million for 17 Rue de Sèvres in 2024, the same year Chanel acquired 42 Avenue Montaigne for over €250 million.
4. Germany: Property investor switches to acquisition mode
Real estate investment firm Aroundtown, which has German properties valued at €20 billion, is now preparing for acquisitions after five years of portfolio downsizing spurred by high interest rates and ongoing struggles for European office markets.
The Luxembourg-based company said it is targeting real estate with appreciation potential in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, after selling €10 billion in assets over the past half-decade. Aroundtown also wants to get more involved in data centers in Germany, initially by converting its own existing buildings to meet rising demand for that category.
5. Canada: Multifamily construction trends diverge in two largest cities
Multifamily construction in Canada’s two largest cities trended in opposite directions during July, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
The national housing agency said the largest housing region, Toronto, posted a 71% drop from a year earlier in multifamily project starts, while Montreal registered a 237% increase, the largest rise of any Canadian city. Unlike Toronto, where the pace of population growth has been torrid, Montreal’s population has grown less quickly.
6. US: Dillard’s joins chains becoming retail landlords
Dillard’s is among the latest retailers purchasing the shopping center housing one of its stores, a potential sign of optimism for brick-and-mortar retail as new construction of such space has slowed due to oversupply and rising costs.
Among the nation’s largest department store chains, Dillard’s teamed with Fort Worth-based developer Trademark Property Co. to acquire Longview Mall in Texas for $34 million. The deal came after other retailers, such as Walmart, Home Depot and Publix Super Markets, also purchased shopping centers as they seek more control over their real estate.
This report was compiled from CoStar’s news publications in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France and Germany.