In the Q2 of 2022, the Slovak economy was primarily marked by flaming inflation that puts raw materials costs at new heights. On the other hand, in the same period of this year, the Slovak industry recovered. This was mainly due to the automotive industry which continues to be the driving force of Slovakia’s economy. The office market went through a major change, as most of the stock was reclassified by the Bratislava Research Forum. And in retail, there were fewer projects under construction due to consistently growing construction materials costs and delivery length, the Cushman & Wakefield presents in their new Marketbeat report on the Slovak economy.

Following the example of the Czech Republic and other European countries, the Bratislava Research Forum is starting the reclassification of office buildings in Bratislava as of Q2 2022.

A new residential area is to be built on the site of the former Matador enamel factory in Bratislava. Development company Oxio promises to build 2,300 flats including infrastructure on an area of 10 hectares. The part called Smaltovna already has a building permit, the developer announced.

Austrian developer Karimpol Group has finished the first stage of the Squarebizz Bory project in Bratislava, which comprises eco-friendly retail storage, service and showroom space within an area of 15,000 sqm. The developer also announced the first tenants who have signed contracts already and the launching of the second phase.

The tallest building in Slovakia, Eurovea Tower is rising in Bratislava by the Danube. With the completion of the 38th floor, the tower has reached 125 metres, the milestone by which it has become the highest building in the country already and has 40 metres still to come. By the end of 2022, Eurovea will be with the 47 floors and 168 metres the 1st skyscraper in the country, developer JTRE announced.

The number of completed flats in Slovakia has fallen year-on-year in the first quarter of 2022.  Construction around Bratislava has also been on a downward trend for several quarters. However, three Slovak regions report the opposite trend with a dynamic increase in the number of completed apartments. The recovery can be observed in the number of flats under construction, according to data from the Statistical Office of Slovakia, reality.trend.sk reports.

Bratislava's Aupark shopping centre, owned by Wood & Company and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, is adding another step to improve its sustainable management. In addition to sorting, low-energy lighting and water conservation, it is now installing hundreds of photovoltaic panels on its roof. The owners are hoping to make significant savings in energy resources, most notably saving 100,000 cubic metres of natural gas per year, reports the online daily Reality.trend.sk.

Since the 1970s, the centre of Bratislava's Old Town has been divided by the multi-stream road Staroměstská Street. The City Hall, together with the Bratislava Metropolitan Institute, now has a plan to improve the area. They want to build a park and a large pedestrian plaza above the road to bring the divided city together and add a new residential and recreational space to the city, the Slovak capital's city hall has announced.

Newly approved building regulations in Slovakia will significantly reduce the endless waiting for building permits. Thanks to advanced digitalisation, the individual processes and the timeframes for their execution are shortened. Builders will thus be able to calculate the capital invested and the entire work schedule more accurately. Therefore, a new Office for Spatial Planning and Construction is being established as a central state administration body, as well as a specialised construction office for the so-called EIA of construction at the Ministry of the Environment, webnoviny.sk informs.

The fifth stage of the Bory Housing residential project is being prepared in the newly emerging Bory district in the northwest of Bratislava. This week the documentation for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was submitted. At the same time, documents for obtaining a zoning decision are being prepared. The fifth stage will bring 366 apartments to the site with construction expected to start in the first half of 2024, the developer announced this week.