US REIT strikes deal to buy Granta Park Cambridge

One of Cambridge's best kept secrets was cracked open today. We now know who's buying MEPC's Granta Park. 

BioMed Realty Trust is paying £133m in one of the largest investment deals of a single asset outside London. The story is on EGi here (£). The deal is expected to close before the long weekend and as far as leaks over the buyer go, it's been a remarkably tight ship, especially in an industry famed for its gossip and a market as compact as Cambridge. 

But what most agents will be itching to hear is who is behind this mystery US REIT and just who did the deal with them. 

So who is our secret agent?

Agents for MEPC were JLL, that much is widely known, but the identity of Bio Med Realty's man is a little more hazy. 

Talk is that it is a UK-based one man band that has formerly worked for MEPC. That's as much as anyone knows. Cambridge veterans will probably point to John Granger, who left Granta Park as its managing director in October 2009. After a stint working for the administrators of Rubicon Europe, in July last year he struck out on his own and became sole principal of his own firm. John, if you're out there, get in touch with us and let us know? Are you our mystery man? 

UPDATED: We now know the identity of our international secret agent, it's not John Granger, we got that wrong. All the details are here).

Little too is know of Bio Med Realty. It currently owns $4.25bn of science related properties throughout the US but is virtually unknown in the Cambridge market. It owns or has interests in 12.5m sq ft and says it is target markets are Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and New York/New Jersey to name but a few. There's little talk of interest in international property. 

What's clear is, at the amount paid for Granta Park, MEPC have signed a cracking deal. MEPC and its agents have declined to comment but it's thought it will stay on to manage the asset - at least in the short term. This means not only does it get to pocket the proceeds of the sale but also a management fee. Nice work if you can get it. 

Picture by Johanoomen on Flickr