Panattoni Europe has signed a lease with Multidekor, maker of professional ornaments and festive lighting solutions for cities and shopping malls. The transaction covers 22,600 sqm of warehouse and production space at the planned Panattoni Park Konotopa II. The development is set to commence this autumn, and will be completed in April 2018.

AFI Tech Park, the newest office project developed by AFI Romania, achieved a LEED Platinum pre-certification. AFI Tech Park is a business campus that will offer 56,000 sqm GLA of Class A office space, comprising of two office buildings of GF+8 and one office tower (GF+14). 

Erste Group officially opened the Sirius Offices business complex in Belgrade for tenants who are expected to enter the building soon. Erste Bank Serbia is the first tenant to move into the new business complex, which will become its main business centre in Belgrade. Beside Erste Bank, Strabag d.o.o Beograd has been secured as a second large anchor tenant, renting 4,000 square meters office space. The first phase of the investment is worth €40 million and the complex occupies an area of 18,500 square meters gross of office space. Besides office premises, Sirius Offices includes a restaurant, a shop and 230 parking places.

Globalworth Real Estate Investments has acquired Building C of the Green Court Bucharest campus developed by Skanska. The gross transaction value is approximately €38 million and the acquisition is expected to close in Q3 2017.

Echo Polska Properties NV announced results Q1 2017 with distributable earnings 3.2% ahead of budget at €16 million. At period end the portfolio was valued at €1.5 billion with a portfolio of 10 retail and nine office properties and two Warsaw-based retail development sites.

There are currently 192 retail parks in the Czech Republic, moreover 66 retail parks, totalling approximately area of 300 000 sqm, are planned to be constructed. The existing parks account for more than 790 000 sqm of retail space, 752 000 sqm of which is occupied. Hence the vacancy rate stands at 4,8% and is lower than in the previous years. These are the findings of Cushman & Wakefield’s recent detailed market research. The survey results are summed up in a map that is just being released. The map includes all existing and planned retail parks in the Czech Republic. 

TriGranit announced organisational changes in several fields of its operation. It has among other a new Chief Construction & Development Officer, a new Chief Financial Officer, a new Development Director and a new Head of Acquisitions. 

Redwood Real Estate Holding (formerly known as B&L Estates), a Hungarian real estate developer has recently started the construction of the 5,000 sqm, Class A+, LEED Platinum pre-certified Ecodome office building on a speculative basis

After entering the Hungarian market in 2016, M7 Real Estate has chosen the Budapest office of CBRE to manage the entire Hungarian real estate portfolio within the M7 CEREF I Fund. 

The recession and the years following it have brought about significant changes in facility management. The market players are challenged by developers not always thinking ahead and by a seriously lacking workforce. László Vágó, CEO of Strabag Property and Facility Services Ltd. spoke to us about their current challenges.