At the peak of the construction season, there were double-digit year-on-year drops in the issuance of building permits and approvals, the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic reports. The number of started dwellings was significantly behind even the pre-pandemic period, but the completion was higher. The pace of completion and the start of construction slowed year-on-year in up to 6 regions.

The new OC Tehelko shopping centre, part of the National Football Stadium complex in Bratislava, was opened by developer Grafobal Group, owned by businessman Ivan Kmotrík, INDEX reports.

Some of the largest cities in Romania, including the capital, have some of the newest office stocks in CEE that have certifications, according to CBRE research.

Panattoni has received its second loan from Alior Bank. This time, the developer was granted financing of almost €6.5 million to build a BTS project for Air Spiralo – a manufacturer of ventilation systems. 

UX (user experience) has in recent years been a buzzword in discussions about attracting retail customers. However, nothing puts consumers’ emotions and well-being to the test more than the pre-Christmas frenzy and visits to shopping centres. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s retail customer experience survey, 42% of Polish respondents say that their shopping experience is impacted by sound and music, with 41% and 38% citing the interior design and lighting in a shopping centre respectively. Over 40% of the surveyed respondents say that they are irritated by crowds and noise when shopping. These are important insights for property landlords and managers responsible for creating optimal conditions that will drive positive shopping experiences.

Real estate advisory firms and the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) expect Poland to relocate substantial manufacturing operations from Asia. Many nearshoring projects have already been launched, but such processes are very time-consuming and require complex preparations.

Romanian developer Iulius is closer to kick off the construction of a mixed-use project in Cluj-Napoca after relocating a manufacturing facility in another part of the city. The Carbochim plan was relocated and upgraded following an investment of €5 million.

Office real estate in Poland, as in the entire CEE region, is trying to forge a new identity for itself in the new times of hybrid work and lower demand. Participants in the panel on the future of offices at Future of Real Estate 2023 discussed how this process is taking place. The event was organised by Property Forum and RICS in Warsaw.

In 2024, PSN will begin a two-year reconstruction of the famous functionalist building in the centre of Pardubice. The first republican Grand Hotel, which served as a shopping centre for over 20 years, will now be transformed into a modern shopping centre with full preservation of the original legacy of the architect Gočár. The renovation is expected to cost €12.331 million, PSN estimates.

Panattoni has launched the construction of City Logistics Kraków III, the latest 25,000 sqm development on the city limits. Walraven, an international producer of installation fixings, is to occupy almost 4,500 sqm.