CTP sees growing interest in smaller multifunctional spaces of up to 2,000 sqm in the Czech Republic. In Brno's Ponávka Business Park, which is owned by CTP, there has been a long-standing interest in small spaces despite their full occupancy. Therefore, the developer has built two CTBox buildings in the revitalised brownfield CTPark Brno Líšeň, in which it is possible to rent multifunctional spaces from as little as 400 sqm, and more than half of the units have already been occupied. Most recently, the same type of units has also become available at CTPark Hradec Králové.
CTP has more than 600 clients in its portfolio in the Czech Republic, which allows the developer to follow the changing needs of companies effectively. The interest in smaller spaces appears to be one of the growing trends this year. For start-ups or smaller companies, this is a logical step in today's turbulent times, when they face many uncertainties, such as growing energy costs. However, demand for smaller spaces is also coming from established companies that need more space for their operation.
"We notice that more and more companies are demanding smaller spaces. We have recorded an increase in such requests of approximately 10-15%. For these clients, we have long offered multifunctional facilities with sizes from 400 sqm. We have over fifty units in our Brno Ponávka complex, all of which have been rented long-term and yet we continue to receive more enquiries. Due to the high demand, we offer these units also in CTPark Brno Líšeň, where more than half of them have already been rented, and most recently also in CTPark Hradec Králové. We believe that the opportunity to operate in smaller, yet high-quality, premises will help many companies to grow," emphasized Jakub Kodr, Head of Business Development, CTP Czech Republic.
"The concept of Small Business Units is very popular in the Czech market, although not widespread. CTP is one of the few companies that focuses on this market segment and has been promoting it long-term in multiple locations. The main advantage for tenants is the flexibility of these units, which allows for the placement of different types of companies and transcends multiple segments. The tenant mix is therefore very diverse, ranging from retail outlets to small-scale manufacturing. We have also noticed a growing demand from the e-commerce sector, with the smaller spaces serving as retail stores, outlets, offices, and warehouse spaces. For many companies, this is a welcome combination and a solution to all corporate real estate requirements within one project, which greatly increases the efficiency and productivity of such business operations. Therefore, the whole concept contributes to the long-term sustainable development of many tenants, who can typically grow within one location, without the need for relocation," confirms Jiří Kristek, Partner and Head of Industrial Department, Cushman & Wakefield.
As part of the revitalisation of the former Zetor industrial complex, now CTPark Brno Líšeň, the developer has built two CTBox buildings for these specific units. Each building, with an area of over 3,500 sqm, can accommodate up to eight rental units, each with an area of 400 sqm. CTP has also recently expanded its CTBox portfolio within CTPark Hradec Králové, where seven of these units are available. The developer has been offering smaller units in various locations across the country for a number of years. There is great interest in CTBoxes in Brno, Ostrava and Plzeň, where they have been established for a long time and have been fully occupied.
"CTBoxes offer an ideal place for business development. Companies have at their disposal modern and high-quality facilities, that they can adapt to their needs. At the same time, these premises offer excellent transport accessibility to the city, therefore the companies remain close to their customers. In the CTBoxes, we have companies from various sectors, we have retail stores, warehouses, facilities for the assembly of car accessories, as well as a manufacturer of protective equipment, a plastics processing company, or a warehouse for the secondary raw materials processing machinery," said Martina Kratochvíl, Junior Business Developer, CTP Czech Republic.
CTBoxes offer versatile space for storage or light production, as well as for showrooms or retail. At the same time, they do not restrict the client's growth. The units can be easily connected and adapted to the wishes of their tenants. While spaces can be rented from as little as 400 sqm, their maximum size is limited only by the size of the building. Two such buildings have been newly built by the developer in CTPark Brno Líšeň and more than half of the available space has already been occupied.
"When we thought of opening another CarTec Group branch dedicated to BMW and MINI authorised car servicing, there were three key factors that our service premises had to meet. A large open space that can accommodate the workshop's machinery and service equipment, while being in a premium-looking building with representative facilities for clients and company staff, and finally, good accessibility to the site. In addition, there is an assumption of future increase in our requirements for the service space, so the adaptability of units and the possibility of future expansion is another significant advantage," explained Petr Urbánek, Managing Director, CarTec Brno, when talking about his decision to lease a unit in the Ponávka Business Park.
"Showroom is an absolutely essential presentation place for our VEKRA brand, where we can demonstrate to our customers, on large samples, the functionality and quality of our brand products that we are building upon. We, therefore, choose very carefully the showroom spaces that meet our requirements on location, accessibility, size, and cost. In Brno, we have been based in the CTP premises at Ponávka since 2015 and it clearly shows that it was a good decision," said Roman Kubálek, Sales Director, VEKRA.
