Virginia Retirement System has committed capital to a Harrison Street opportunistic fund that targets specialist real estate such as medical offices and student housing. The US pension fund has approved a $125m (€104.4m) commitment to Harrison Street Real Estate Partners Fund VIII, a fund seeking a $2bn capital raise to invest in the US or Canada. The fund will be investing in alternative property types like life science office assets, medical office and both student/senior housing. The pension fund told IPE Real Assets that it is “always evaluating opportunities and the pandemic has not changed that process”. VRS also approved a $125m commitment to Penwood Select Industrial Partners VI, a US value-add industrial real estate fund that recently raised $382m. To read the digital edition of the latest IPE Real Assets magazine click here.