Greater transparency and continuous training pave the way for higher professional standards on the real estate market. More than 100 professionals, from all over Austria and Central & Eastern Europe gathered in Vienna last week to discuss new directions in the profession at the latest RICS event. 

Skanska has sold Atrium 2 to HANSAINVEST Hanseatische Investment-GmbH, one of the largest investment companies in Germany. Located near Rondo ONZ, Atrium 2 is Skanska’s eighth and newest investment to be developed in the business centre of Warsaw. The building has three tenants Credit Suisse, DLA Piper and Bravura Solutions.

Knight Frank has been appointed leading agent by Skanska to commercialize the retail ground floors of all five buildings of the High5ive complex in Kraków. The project developed by Skanska Property Poland will be handed over for use in stages. The first stage, which will include two buildings right next to the Galeria Krakowska shopping centre, is scheduled for the end of 2017. 

Austrian and Romanian real estate developer Invest4SEE has announced the development of a 91,216 sqm warehouse in Dubnica nad Vahom, Slovakia. Invest4SEE Industrial Park Dubnica will spread over 20 hectares.

P3 has commenced work on a new 80,000 sqm warehouse at P3 Błonie park in Poland. A column raising ceremony to mark the start of construction took place on 1 December. The milestone marks the start of a new phase in the expansion of the park, which will see it grow from just over 196,000 sqm today to over 275,000 sqm.

HB Reavis has appointed George Leslie as its new Head of Investment Management. In this new role, Leslie will lead and grow HB Reavis’ Investment Management business and support the company’s international expansion plans. 

2016 was marked by the wait for the Posnania shopping centre to open, with its 60,000 sqm of Gross Leasable Area (GLA). However, next year we will see the opening of as many as three buildings with an area of over 60,000 sqm of GLA: Galeria Północna in Warsaw, Wroclavia and Forum Gdańsk.

In 2016 the Romanian retail market was characterized by a high volume of delivered space and entry of new brands, which opened their first shops both in already existing shopping centers and in recently opened projects. Colliers International expects to see new names on the market, especially among Polish brands.

On 1 December 2016, international real estate developer HB Reavis and Savills Investment Management on behalf of a Global Pension Fund client, concluded the sale agreement of two of buildings within Gdanski Business Centre in Warsaw. In one of the largest transactions of the year in Poland and also in the CEE region amounting to €186 million, Savills Investment Management has acquired buildings A and B of the Gdanski Business Center, totalling 48,000 sqm.

Inpark, the Hungarian industrial property development group launched the construction of its first international logistics centre to be leased by Kühne + Nagel Hungary.