CTP has sealed a long-term strategic partnership with Deka Immobilien involving three prime industrial parks in the Czech Republic - CTPark Plzeň, CTPark Prague North and CTPark Teplice. Deka Immobilien acquired the ownership stakes in the parks with CTP Group continuing to manage and operate the portfolio under the CTPark network brand. Including two development projects, the deal represents 430,000 sqm of premium industrial properties. The transaction volume of €460 million places the deal amongst the largest ever real estate transactions in the Czech Republic.

For the first time in five years, Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay has replaced New York’s Upper 5th Avenue as the world’s most expensive retail street by rental value, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield. The Czech Republic has made it into the top 20 world’s most expensive retail streets. With rents of €230 per sqm per month, Prague’s Na Příkopě Street is at No. 19, leaping three positions up from the last year

CPI Property Group unveiled its new plans and projects at MAPIC. The Group plans to refurbish the Campona shopping centre in Budapest, extend Královo Pole in Brno and Olympia in Pilsen and remodel the food court in the Ogrody shopping centre in Elblag, Poland.

Panattoni Europe plans to transform the former Škoda Plzeň complex in the Borské terasy area in Pilsen into a modern technological centre. The extensive 28-hectare brownfield is currently empty, but it has great infrastructure and is well connected to the surrounding industrial plants. Panattoni Europe’s plans are in line with the current development strategy of the city of Pilsen and are currently undergoing an EIA environmental impact assessment. The total amount of investment is estimated at more than €77 million (CZK 2 billion).

Prague is becoming increasingly more expensive than Bratislava. Employees continue to earn more in the capital of the Czech Republic, though the cost of living is also rising, especially in regards to housing. This is evidenced by the results of research done by JLL, which compared the prices of apartments in both capitals.

VD Invest, subsidiary of Vantage Development, has signed a preliminary conditional agreement with IKI Poland, subsidiary of M7 Czech Republic group, for the sale of Wroclaw office building Delta 44. GVA Polska represented the seller in the transaction.

Praga Studios, the new Karlín office building by Skanska, has progressed significantly on its way to completion. In October 2018, the builders placed a topping out flag on the site of the future roof terrace to symbolise the completion of the superstructure. The building, with a total area of almost 12 000 sqm, will be completed in Q2 2019.

In response to growing demand in the Czech property market for specialist asset and market analysis, Cushman & Wakefield has expanded its Advisory service line with a newly established team of 3 dedicated professionals headed by Richard Hogg MRICS. In conjunction, Michal Naskos MRICS, a veteran of the valuation industry, becomes Head of Valuation Czech Republic.

Transactions in the logistics sector have been dominating the Prague market this year. In the first half of 2018 alone, the take-up was 24% higher than in the full year 2017, precisely 226,600 sqm. During the same period, the overall gross take-up reached in Prague 408,000 sqm, showing an increase of 56 %. Besides the logistics sector, more than 90,000 sqm was taken by production and 76,000 sqm by distribution. The biggest new deal in Prague in the logistics sector was done by cargo-partner ČR, which signed a lease agreement for 12,450 sqm located in a stand-alone industrial building in the Logicor Prague Airport logistic park. The company will start operating from the new premises at the beginning of 2019. Cushman & Wakefield facilitated the lease of the premises.

CPI Property Group announced the appointment of Radek Zeman as Division Director and Barbara Topolska as Country Manager for Poland, in addition to the refinancing of the IGY shopping centre located in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. The newly secured loan of €60 million was provided by Komercni banka for a term of five years.