2017 was the best year ever for Poland's industrial market with gross demand totalling 3.9 million sqm, JLL reports. Retailers and logistics operators continued to drive the market, together accounting for more than 65% of net take-up in 2017.

International Campus AG, a specialist in micro-living products, is continuing its growth in Europe and expanding into the Czech Republic. In a joint venture with Czech project developer Karlín Group, International Campus has acquired a development project in the Holešovice district of Prague with 529 high-quality apartments for students. It has been agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The building that is to become “THE FIZZ Prague” will have a gross floor area above ground level of 16,529 square metres over eight floors. The opening is planned for Q1 2020.

Cushman & Wakefield Echinox assisted property transactions in Romania totalling over €300 million in 2017, accounting for 30% of the total local property investment volume of nearly €1 billion. The deals included projects such as Chitila Logistic Park, the Radisson Blu complex in Bucharest and two properties sold by REWE.

Łódź will become the second Polish city after Warsaw with projects by HB Reavis. The company has become the new owner of a plot at 2 Targowa Street in Nowe Centrum Łodzi (The New Centre of Łódź). According to the local zoning plan, the area will consist of office buildings with publicly accessible retail and walkable spaces on the ground floors. The listed buildings located on the plot will also be preserved. The price of the plot has not been revealed.

Automation, e-mobility and big data can completely change the game in logistics over the coming years. Martin Polák, Senior Vice President and Regional Head for CEE at Prologis talked to Property Forum about the future of European industrial and logistics markets.

Panattoni Europe will develop a manufacturing facility for Pilkington IGP. The project will take up more than 10,000 sqm at Panattoni Park Białystok. Production will be launched by early September this year, and at the initial stage of operations the plant will employ approx. 200 people.

In 2017 approx. 90% of the total investment volumes in the commercial real estate were recorded in retail and HTL on the Croatian market. Most of the investment and development activity came from the investors already present on the market. Newcomers were mostly focused on distressed/value-add or brownfield opportunities in the HTL sector. Retail and HTL will remain the most active sectors in terms of investment and development volumes in 2018, Colliers projects.

Business services companies remain core office tenants in Wrocław, setting new market trends and trying to attract top talent. Michał Grabikowski, Head of the Wrocław Office of Cresa Poland summarised the key strengths of Lower Silesia’s capital city.

Economic sentiment indicators are still pointing towards further expansion in CEE-6 investment volumes in 2018, over and above 2017’s cycle high of €12.9 billion. The current economic and real estate investment cycle might top out in 2019. Colliers International has published its investment outlook for the CEE-6 real estate markets for 2018.

2017 was a great year for the CEE property market and the scene is set for 2018 to be even better. However, there are always risks to be wary of. Andreas Ridder, Chairman CEE at CBRE revealed Property Forum his expectations for the CEE investment market in 2018.