Japan’s first Formation of SPC scheme aiming at acquisition, management, and preservation of nationally designated important cultural properties – Commencement of “Former Soma Family Residential Hotel Project (tentative name)” in Hakodate City

[Japan’s first] Formation of SPC scheme aiming at acquisition, management, and preservation of nationally designated important cultural properties – Commencement of “Former Soma Family Residential Hotel Project (tentative name)” in Hakodate City ​
Value Management Co., Ltd. Press release: February 27, 2025 [Japan’s first] Formation of SPC scheme aiming at acquisition, management, and preservation of nationally designated important cultural properties – Commencement of “Former Soma Family Residential Hotel Project (tentative name)” in Hakodate City Collaborative LEVECHY starts crowdfunding on 3/5 (Wednesday) where you can participate from 10,000 yen Value Management Co., Ltd.
(Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Atsushi Tarikino, hereinafter referred to as the Company) has decided to launch the “Old Soma Family Residence Hotel Project (tentative name)” (hereinafter referred to as the Plan), a hotel business plan that aims to utilize and preserve the “Former Soma Family Residence” in Hakodate City, Hokkaido, which is a nationally designated important cultural property. We will solicit a wide range of investments through the real estate crowdfunding service “LEVECHY” operated by LEVECHY Co., Ltd. (location: Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Shoji Taka, hereinafter referred to as “LEVECHY”), and will collaborate with them on everything from planning the fund formation to maintaining and preserving the former Soma family residence.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-85473fe87585f77e06344fdf515a4f13-1280×720.jpg Under this plan, through a real estate crowdfunding system in which individual investors can participate with a small amount, the former Soma family residence (nationally designated important cultural property and privately owned) will be acquired by an SPC (special purpose company) formed by Levechy.The two companies will work together to preserve the building and renovate it into a lodging facility in an area not designated as a cultural property, with the aim of starting operation as a hotel by the end of 2025. In order to solve the problem of valuable historical buildings remaining in the Hakodate area becoming idle facilities in the future or making it difficult for the buildings themselves to continue, we have decided to develop and introduce a new investment and utilization model in which local residents and supporters can participate with a small amount. As part of this initiative, we will raise part of the acquisition funds and preservation/renovation costs for the former Soma family residence through real estate crowdfunding. From March 5th (Wednesday), LEVECHY plans to begin recruiting for crowdfunding as “LEVECHY Fund No. 19” (hereinafter referred to as the Fund) of “LEVECHY” operated by the company. As of February 2025, this project is a plan that includes Japan’s first initiative* in which important cultural properties owned by individuals are purchased, managed and preserved by private companies through a scheme that incorporates SPC. *As of February 2025, researched by Levechy Co., Ltd. Internet search for URLs that perfectly match the three phrases “Important Cultural Properties, Crowdfunding, SPC”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-de8f571b13add30b9d22735992d45043-1000×667.jpg ▍Background of this initiative Our company has a vision of “Weaving Culture” and is developing “VMG HOTELS & UNIQUE VENUES” that utilizes historic buildings. We have operated 22 facilities across Japan, including hotels, parties, and restaurants, set in special buildings with hidden regional characteristics. In the Hakodate area, we operate “NIPPONIA HOTEL Hakodate Minatomachi”, a former brick warehouse building that has been renovated into a nine-room hotel, and are working on tourism town development in collaboration with local restaurants and markets. While many historical resources remain in Hakodate, there are a number of idle facilities, and maintenance and management have become an issue. Amid concerns about the sale and demolition of historic buildings, there is a need for a system to utilize them in a sustainable manner and pass them on to the next generation. Through our community activities in Hakodate, we met the owner of the former Soma Family Residence, and we have been discussing the possibility of preserving and utilizing the building. As a result, we decided to introduce a new model that would balance the
preservation and utilization of historic buildings by soliciting a wide range of investments, including from individuals with an interest in local history and culture. We have collaborated with LEVECHY, which has a proven track record in real estate crowdfunding operations, to realize this plan. We will continue to promote efforts to balance the preservation and utilization of historic buildings and contribute to the inheritance of local resources. ▍What is the former Soma family residence? The former Soma family residence is a nationally designated important cultural property located in Hakodate City’s Traditional Buildings Preservation District, halfway up the slope up Mt. Hakodate. It is in a good location, about 15 minutes by car from JR Hakodate Station, about 25 minutes by car from Hakodate Airport, and a 5-minute walk from the nearest tram “Suehirocho” stop, and is surrounded by low-rise residential buildings and various historical buildings. This property was built in the Motomachi area of ​​Hakodate City by Teppei Soma, one of Hokkaido’s most prominent businessmen, as a private residence for the Soma family in the wake of the great fire that occurred in Hakodate in 1907, in order to create jobs for citizens and restore the property. As many craftsmen with a wide variety of skills were involved in the construction, the main parlor has a Shoin-zukuri design, the tea room has many designs found in Sukiya-zukuri architecture, and the Western-style room is overall finished in a Victorian style, resulting in a modern architecture that harmonizes Japanese and Western styles. In addition to the evaluation of the building itself, it was also recognized for its integration into the landscape of Hakodate City, and was designated as a traditional building of Hakodate City in 2009 and an important cultural property of the country in 2018. This property opened to the public in 2010.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-7b27a7c7a4dc623486f102329cd0e2df-293×400.jpg ▍How this plan works In the “Former Soma Family Residence Hotel Project (tentative name)”, our company and Levechy will collaborate to organize real estate crowdfunding using the “Real Estate Specified Joint Project No. 3 and 4 Permit” to maintain and preserve the modern architecture “Old Soma Family Residence”, which is a nationally designated important cultural property. After the fund is established, the special purpose company (SPC) established by Levechy will maintain and preserve the “Former Soma Family Residence,” and the Company will be responsible for operating the hotel. This fund is expected to have an operating period of 5 years, and aims to achieve a yield of 4% (before annual interest and taxes) from rental income (income gain). In addition, this fund has a scheme in which a newly established SPC, rather than Lebechy, takes over the ownership of the former Soma family residence from the seller. The SPC established for this fund will limit its business to holding and managing the real estate of the former Soma family residence, and even in the unlikely event that Levechy goes bankrupt, the SPC will be able to achieve “bankruptcy isolation” so that the former Soma family residence owned by the SPC will not be foreclosed. In addition, we provide consulting support to SPC and Levechy, which maintain and manage real estate, by providing know-how on the restoration and preservation of historical buildings.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-88db7116fece2807ff71d4c8272b8e34-1148×633.jpg ▍How to participate in this fund The “Former Soma Family Residential Hotel Project (tentative name)” is a system that allows a wide range of investors, including individuals, to participate using real estate crowdfunding “LEVECHY”, which allows investment from small amounts. The fund is expected to have an operating period of 5 years, and aims to achieve a yield of 4% (before annual interest and taxes) from rental income (income gain). Please check Levechy’s press release and landing page for details on how to participate and expected operation schedule. *Crowdfunding landing page https://link.levechy.com/funds/19 ▍About hotel business plan Under Article 4 of the Cultural Properties Protection Act, nationally designated important cultural properties are required to be managed appropriately and opened to the public to the extent that the cultural properties are not affected, so the former Soma family residence is scheduled to remain open to the public even after the establishment of this fund. In addition, when preserving and displaying nationally designated important cultural properties, direct physical changes to the parts that have been recognized as having value as cultural properties are prohibited. In the “Former Soma Family Hotel Project” (tentative name), we plan to renovate a section of the building centered around the cafe area into three guest rooms while preserving its value as an important cultural property. We aim to provide a special stay experience that transcends time, while enjoying the luxurious space and design unique to the wealthy merchants of the Meiji period. We will notify you of various information such as the number of rooms, concept, activities, etc. as soon as they are decided.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-88159dde27b77a9a6f73b63fa1d60c6c-1920×1080.jpg Value management created based on the floor plan of the former Soma family residence
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-896e63d3ff9938a08db3e423314e313b-520×400.jpg Interior photo of “Cafe Motomachi” scheduled to be renovated into hotel guest rooms ▍Overview of the former Soma family residential hotel development plan (tentative name) ・Opening date: Scheduled for within 2025 ・Total floor area: 680 square meters ・Room area: 3 rooms (70 square meters, 132 square meters, 55 square meters) *During planning and subject to change in the future ・Location: 33-2 Motomachi, Hakodate, Hokkaido ・Buildings designated as important cultural properties on the premises: 2 buildings ▍About NIPPONIA HOTEL Hakodate Minato Town Located in the Red Brick Warehouse District, one of Hakodate’s tourist spots, this hotel is a renovated warehouse that has not been used for a long time, and has nine guest rooms and a dining room, giving you a sense of history and culture. While taking advantage of the texture of red brick, the interior design
incorporates a simple yet warm Scandinavian space design, expressing Hakodate’s unique Japanese-Western culture. Please enjoy a stay in a port town overlooking the Hakodate Canal and a dining experience at a French restaurant that makes use of freshly caught seafood. ■Click here for details on NIPPONIA HOTEL Hakodate Minatocho
https://www.vmg-hakodate.com/ ■Click here for the wedding special page https://www.vmg-hakodate.com/wedding
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/18871/558/18871-558-46e2b5b6bc167fc413574f2fdbc3c6f1-1000×667.jpg ▍About LEVECHY Co., Ltd. Since our company’s founding in 2012, we have focused on the real estate business, but in June 2023, in order to resolve various financial issues and concerns about personal asset formation, we launched the real estate crowdfunding service
“LEVECHY,” which allows anyone to easily build assets, and reborn as a fintech company. Additionally, on July 17, 2024, the company name was changed to LEVECHY Co., Ltd. In the future, we will accelerate the business of real estate crowdfunding “LEVECHY” and aim to democratize finance. Company name: LEVECHY Co., Ltd. Address: 5th floor, JMF Building Akasaka 01, 1-11-28 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Established: January 2012 Representative: Masashi Taka Business details: 1. Development and operation of real estate crowdfunding business “LEVECHY” 2. Development and operation of next-generation office and residence creation business “JP-BASE” 3. Office leasing, property management, asset management, investment businesses HP:
https://levechy.jp/ ▍About Value Management Co., Ltd. Based on the philosophy of “weaving culture,” Value Management Co., Ltd. aims to realize sustainable urban development by creating necessities for the private sector, without relying on taxes, to preserve things that have been preserved through taxes. Cultural assets, castles, historical sites, scenic spots, and other resources of high historical and cultural value that have traditionally been viewed as objects for viewing will be restored and used as places such as hotels,
restaurants, banquet halls, and MICE venues. By making it a place where it is needed, we create new value and monetize it, realizing the monetization of historical resources. In addition, in order to make full use of the town, we are promoting tourism town development that utilizes local historical resources and developing distributed hotels across the country. VMG HOTELS & UNIQUE VENUES, a group brand developed by Value Management Co., Ltd., utilizes 92 historic buildings to date to develop businesses that support the region from both the preservation and inheritance of culture and economic revitalization. Company name: Value Management Co., Ltd. URL: https://www.vmc.co.jp/ Established: August 1, 2023 Representative: Representative Director Atsushi Tarikino Capital: 50 million yen Location: 6th floor, Meiji Seimeikan, 2-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Business details: Tourism town development utilizing historical resources and utilization of historical buildings