Retail parks and convenience centers emerged as the most resilient retail sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, with customers putting an emphasis on quick and efficient shopping. The development of the Polish retail market continues apace, with the retail park format taking the lead in terms of stock expansion. In H1 2022, developers completed 183,200 sqm of GLA of new retail space, 66% of which was delivered in the form of retail parks and convenience centers dedicated to everyday, quick shopping. However, another 341,700 sqm of GLA is expected to enter the market by the end of 2022, with retail parks accounting for 53% of this total. 2022 could well be another record-breaking year for this segment in terms of space delivered to the market.

Two years after the start of construction, Skanska has completed works on the P180 office building, located at the Wilanowska metro station. The building received an occupancy permit, which means that the Warsaw office market has gained an additional 32,000 sqm of office space. IT specialists from the international Netcompany moved into the newly commissioned office building, which offers the tenant 6,000 sqm of space.

Savills has announced the acquisition of Knight Frank’s commercial property and asset management team in Poland. Under the agreement, 35 employees have joined Savills and its Polish property management portfolio has surpassed 1,200,000 sqm.

US-owned Bucharest Properties REIT has appointed real estate consultancy Colliers to provide full corporate leasing services for Vitan Estates, Bucharest's first residential development exclusively for rental.

Property developer STC Partners has obtained the building permit for both phases of the Quartier Azuga residential complex, along with the Green Homes pre-certification and will start construction works for the first phase this autumn. 

Chinese, German and Dutch buyers remain active in the residential market in Hungary, especially in Budapest and some popular touristic regions. The weakening local currency makes homes even more attractive to invest in. Property Forum talked to László Balogh, Chief Economist at ingatlan.com, Hungary’s largest listing platform, about the latest trends and the possible new wave of foreign buyers coming to the country.

Several big new hotels are to be open in Prague in the next few years. Most of them will be operated by multinational chains and most of them will be the reconstructions of historical sites, except only two new of them that are planned by Penta Investments. For one of them, Penta obtained a €38.5 million loan from the Komerční banka, writes E15.cz.

Colliers announced that Kata Mazsaroff has been appointed as the new Managing Director for Hungary. Kata worked at Colliers between 2007 and 2020 where she established the Occupier Services business line, helping Colliers record the highest market share in tenant representation for several consecutive years in the Budapest market. Under Kata’s supervision, the department managed 250,000 sqm of projects for around €300 million lease value.

Despite the strong recovery of travel demand and the wall of capital looking for opportunities, transaction activity in the EU hotel market in the first half of 2022 remained flat compared to the same period last year. Nevertheless, there are five countries that are recording notable growth in transaction activity, says Cushman & Wakefield's European Hotel Market Report for H1 2022.

GLP announced that its GLP Warsaw III Logistics centre in Kobyłka is now fully leased, only four months into operation.