The Brutalist monument in the centre of Prague has been closed for up to 2 years for reconstruction, reports Newstream.cz. The internal layout of the building is going to change, converting some of the floors into offices.

Investor EPG Group has started an extensive renovation of the Varyáda shopping centre in Karlovy Vary. Part of it is the modernization of the existing premises as well as the addition, thanks to which the leasable area of ​​Varyáda is expanding to 27,000 sqm.

Romania saw 11 new retail projects completed last year, with a combined leasable area of 215,000 sqm, sending the market to a 7-year high in terms of deliveries, according to a Cushman & Wakefield Echinox report.

The supply of modern retail space has reached 3.93 million sqm in the Czech Republic. Retail parks or shopping parks are taking a portion of 31% of this total according to Cushman & Wakefield's analysis of the Czech retail park market data. Traditional shopping centres account for about 67%, and the remaining 2% are outlets.

Cushman & Wakefield has summarized the situation in the Polish retail market in 2023, which saw heightened development activity, with about 450,000 sqm of new retail space delivered. The Polish retail sector continued to recover, as confirmed by the number of debuts – 29 new brands entered Poland in the last 12 months, marking the highest figure since 2017. Meanwhile, the slower price growth bolstered consumer sentiment, leading to higher retail turnover levels.

Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, Germany’s largest department store chain owned by Austrian Sign Group, has initiated its third insolvency procedure in less than four years over financial issues.

Local developer Chain Bridge Venture Kft. (CBV) has launched a new development project aiming to build a state-of-the-art multifunctional centre not far from the Puskás Ferenc Stadium and Papp László sports arena. The handover is expected in 2026.

A record number of new brands entered the Czech retail market last year. In the past ten years, since Cushman & Wakefield has been closely monitoring this activity, none equalled the 2023 list of 39 new retail brands.

CPI Property Group has appointed CBRE as manager of its Stop Shop retail park portfolio in Serbia, which comprises 14 retail parks in 14 cities and more than 120,000 sqm of leasable area. CBRE will provide integrated asset management solutions, including financial and property accounting services, leasing services, and will oversee all operational aspects of the property and tenants.

Romanian developer One United Properties has secured a loan deal with Alpha Bank Group with a value up to €30.5 million for the development of One Gallery, a retail gallery based in northern Bucharest that is part of One Floreasca City mixed-use scheme.