European logistics real estate markets have not suffered last year from the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to fast-growing e-commerce and higher inventory levels of producers, the total expected take-up in 11 European countries of 23.6 million sqm for 2020 is only 3% down compared with the record year 2019. The forecasts for this year are even better with an expected take-up of 27 million sqm – an increase of 14%. Particularly large logistics real estate markets like Germany, France, the Netherlands and Poland are expected to grow substantially.

Amazon continues to invest in Poland and will create over 1,000 new permanent jobs in Swiebodzin within a year of opening. Its tenth facility in Poland will include advanced Amazon Robotics technology, with 3,000 robotic drive units supporting the company’s associates.

The total volume invested in real estate assets in Romania reached €914 million in 2020, a 28% increase compared 2019, according to the Romania Investment Marketbeat launched by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Carrefour Romania renewed its leasing contract with P3 for approximately 85,000 sqm in P3 Bucharest A1, making it one of the largest deals on the local logistics market. CBRE Romania assisted P3 in this deal. 

Wing completed the development of the revitalised Gizella Loft office building, in the heart of Zugló, in fall 2020. The building offers 8,500 sqm of office space. Its redevelopment has transformed it into a Class A, people-oriented and cost-efficient space ready to welcome future tenants. The main tenant which had already occupied the building, TÜV Rheinland Intercert Kft., committed itself to the Gizella Loft in 2019, and in September 2020 took occupancy of the space designed according to its needs.

Polish logistics company Uniq Logistic has become a tenant at another MLP Group park. The company will take up a total of over 17,000 sqm of space and will operate from two key locations in Pruszków and Łódź starting from the second quarter of 2021. Axi Immo supported the Group in the transaction.

With a loan amount of €82.2 million, Helaba is financing the acquisition of the prime office property Lixa in Warsaw. The first stage of the investment was purchased by Hana Investment Co. Ltd., a South Korean consortium represented by Commerz Real. The loan term is for five years and Helaba is acting as sole underwriter for the transaction.

Slovenia-based investor ALFI Real Estate fund has completed the acquisition of a new retail park based in Poreč, Croatia (Galerija Poreč). The property with roughly 8,500 sqm was purchased from specialist Austrian investor MID Group. The retail park is strategically positioned in a new shopping zone near a McDonald’s restaurant and has an attractive tenant mix with everyday convenience items.

M7 Real Estate has acquired a modern, multi-tenanted office property in Budapest, Hungary, for €12.35 million. The company has also agreed a €56.7 million loan facility on a five-year term for the Fund with Erste Group, one of the largest financial services providers in Central and Eastern Europe, establishing a new banking relationship in the region.

Panattoni has bought an 8.2-hectare site in the Annopol neighbourhood of Warsaw to develop City Logistics Warsaw IV, featuring approx. 40,000 sqm. The facility’s location, next to the S8 route, will ensure efficient domestic and international transport. There will also be a tram terminal in the direct vicinity of the building. City Logistics Warsaw IV is the sixth project of this formula in Warsaw.