The office markets of Central European capitals are growing dynamically: the number of new leases is on the rise, vacancy rates have hit record lows in several cities and demand for large office space is also growing. In light of all this it is no surprise that development activity is also heating up on the most popular markets of the region. We asked three major office developers to tell us which city in the region offers the most attractive development opportunities, how tenants’ requirements are changing and what makes Central European capitals different.

After completion of the second part of the construction in Panattoni Park Cheb, Tchibo has opened an expanded distribution centre for its e-shop. The rentable space increased from 39,000 sqm to 73,000 sqm. This means that in Cheb has grown the second largest logistics hall in the Czech Republic and Tchibo’s largest distribution centre in Central and Eastern Europe. Operations of the first part of the building were commenced on 2 December last year and the site these days just dispatched its millionth parcel.

The Romanian commercial property market has turned over a new leaf in recent years. Thanks to growing interest from international investors 2017 is set to become a record year on the Romanian investment market. The industrial market is among the segments growing especially strongly with one player in particular expanding its portfolio rapidly. Ana Dumitrache, Co-Country Head of CTP Romania shared her take on the Romanian market.

Skanska has acquired the Key office project in Prague’s Pankrác district from ČSAD Praha Holding for an undisclosed sum. The developer plans to start construction works before year-end.

P3 is constructing a new 61,000 sqm building at P3 Piotrków park in Central Poland. Its main tenant will be Kuehne + Nagel, which will occupy 56,000 sqm of space. The facility is scheduled for completion in January 2018.

Delta Holding subsidiary Delta Real Estate, in cooperation with AP investments, has finalised the acquisition of a shopping mall in Varna, Bulgaria. The project is worth €120 million and it will be completed in May 2018.

Atenor has acquired 19,000 sqm of land on Hungária körút, one of the main road corridors in Budapest. The site provides an opportunity to build a campus of 4 office buildings with commercial spaces covering approximately 85,500 sqm, which will be developed in different phases. Permit application for the first building is set to be submitted by the end of the year, allowing construction to begin in 2018.

The handover of the second office building one month ahead of schedule completed the construction of the West Station scheme next to the Warszawa Zachodnia station. With an area of 38,000 sqm, the new building is one of the largest built in Warsaw this year. More companies have just shown their appreciation for its offices by leasing over 8,300 sqm of space.

Panattoni Europe has embarked on the project to build the central warehouse for the building and home design retail chain, OBI. The BTS facility with close to 50,700 sqm will be delivered near Łódź, in the Nowosolna commune. Its development has been divided into two stages – with the first one scheduled for completion in November 2017.

The first Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Romania is to be opened by end-2017 in Bucharest. The 201-room hotel will be located within an historic listed building in the city centre. Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Old Town will be administered by hotel management company Apex Alliance Hotel Management.