Italy
Portugal
Dils assisted Covivio in the sale to a primary institutional investor of a building hosting an important school complex located in the former railway station of Porta Romana – in the Symbiosis area – in Milan, through an off-market transaction. The multi-functional asset is fully leased to an internationally leading group in the Education sector.
The asset, located in Viale Ortles, was designed by the renowned architectural firm Barreca & La Varra and occupies an area of about 12,500 sqm distributed over six floors that accommodate classrooms, offices, and sports facilities. The structure is designed to be used beyond school hours, including spaces for socialization and various common areas, such as an indoor gym and a semi-Olympic size covered pool (25 meters), while the outdoor area, about 6,000 sqm, features a multifunctional playing field.
The complex is part of the new Business District ‘Symbiosis’, Covivio’s urban regeneration project that transforms a historically strategic area for Milan’s economic development, with an industrial and productive vocation, into a new mixed-use urban center. The high technological and plant engineering standards have enabled it to achieve the BREEAM In-Use ‘Very Good’ rating.
The district can be considered one of the most dynamic areas of the city of Milan, perfectly integrated into the urban fabric and located at the center of a creative and evolving area: showrooms, museums, universities, research centers, and international destinations such as Fondazione Prada and Talent Garden make the district particularly attractive.
The next major player in the area is the regeneration project of the Scalo Porta Romana, which opens up a great opportunity for territorial enhancement in line with sustainability. During the 2026 Winter Olympics, it will host the Olympic Village developed according to the NZEB (Net Zero Carbon Energy Building) requirements. This significant project will further connect the entire area to the urban fabric, bringing Symbiosis even closer to the city center.
The deal reflects two recent trends in the market: on one hand, it confirms the high interest of institutional investors in semi-central urban areas undergoing transformation, such as Scalo Porta Romana, capable of ensuring the highest standards of assets in terms of efficiency and compliance with ESG parameters. At the same time, it reaffirms the focus of an increasing number of players on the ‘Alternative’ sector, such as Healthcare, Data Centers, and, indeed, Education, which has seen investments at the national level of 900 million euros over the past twelve months.
