The construction of building H, the eighth element of Bonarka for Business (B4B), an office complex in Krakow, has recently started. At completion, the office building will provide approx. 10,000 sqm GLA and 209 parking spaces for the tenants, extending the B4B complex to a total of 75,000 GLA. Meanwhile, GlobalLogic, an existing tenant in B4B since 2016, signed a lease agreement for an additional 1,274 sqm GLA.

Continued growth in the investment attractiveness of Warsaw has resulted in high demand for modern office space and is matched by tremendous developer activity. JLL summarised the situation on the Warsaw office market at the end of Q3 2017.

At the beginning of this month the owner of Kupiec Poznański has signed an agreement to modernise the office part of the building. The scope of works includes a creation of reception area dedicated to office space that will be independent from the shopping centre part. Moreover new modern lifts will be introduced and common areas on the office floors will be rearranged according to design project provided by Kostka&Kurka architectural studio. The concept and scope of changes have been prepared by BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland who is the exclusive leasing agent of the building and its property manager. The works are scheduled to finish in February 2018.

One car in Warsaw carries on average 1.3 people and, according to research conducted by JLL, in the Służewiec district of Warsaw, 87% of cars are only occupied by the driver. As a consequence, finding a vacant parking space becomes a great challenge, especially when the rapid development of office districts in all of Poland's major cities are taken into account. So what can be done about this rather sorry state of affairs? Well there are a number of solutions.

In Q3 2017 gross demand on the Warsaw office market reached 198,600 sqm, which brought the 2017 YTD total to 589,500 sqm. The Polish Office Research Forum has published its figures for Q3 2017 for the office market in Warsaw.

CBRE won the tender from REICO IS ČS for managing the 13,800 sqm Qubix office building, located in Prague 4, which is certified according to the LEED Platinum methodology.

Ghelamco has secured a €221 million loan for the construction of The Warsaw Hub from a consortium of five banks. Warsaw HUB, comprising three buildings, will have 113,000 sqm GLA of which 70,000 sqm of office space. The complex will also include retail space and a conference centre as well as two hotels. Completion is planned for 2020.

Demand on the Budapest office market in Q3 2017 increased by 67% compared to the previous quarter, reaching 164,985 sqm. Combined with a marginal growth in supply the vacancy rate further decreased to 7.6%. The Budapest Research Forum published its latest figures.

Cushman & Wakefield has been responsible for the audit of the Focus office building and obtaining a BREEAM IN-USE International certificate for the scheme. The office complex, located at 26 Ludowej Avenue in Warsaw, received an “Excellent” rating in Building Management and a “Very Good” rating in Asset Performance.

Despite record low vacancy levels in Budapest and an increasingly landlord-friendly leasing environment, industry commentators have warned of an imminent oversupply around the corner. But there is no need to panic just yet, suggests Orsolya Hegedűs and Mike Edwards at Cushman & Wakefield, Hungary.