The Polish Office Research Forum has published its figures for 2017 for the office market in eight major regional cities in Poland (Kraków, Wrocław, the Tri-City, Katowice, Poznań, Łódź, Szczecin, Lublin). The market data prepared by a team of analysts includes modern office stock, new completions, take-up volumes and vacancy rates.

In 2017 the Bucharest office market has posted results close to the 2016 record ones, taking into consideration transactions in Class A and B buildings. 2018 is expected to bring growth and new demand from players that are going to enter the market, but also of the existent ones who will extend or relocate. The annual Knight Frank report – European Commercial Property Outlook – estimates that European commercial property markets enter 2018 with positive momentum.

Wratislavia Center, a mixed-use property in Wroclaw has been sold to FLE, an investment advisor headquartered in Vienna. FLE bought the asset on behalf of FLE SICAV FIS, a real estate fund headquartered in Luxemburg and owning a commercial real estate portfolio in Europe and the US exceeding € 2 bn.

Knight Frank has been appointed sole agent of the Galeria Ostrowiec shopping mall. Experts from the company’s Retail Agency will diversify the offer of the shopping mall, owned by First Property Group.

With a 4.8%-GDP growth in 2016 and the highest estimated growth rate in 2017 among EU member states, Romania has become an increasingly attractive destination for regional operations centres. The tax and legal regimes along with the geographic location, as well as the highly yet not so costly labour force are some of the key ingredients contributing to the country’s attractiveness, according to the Recipe for successful tax, law & real estate of regional operations centres in Romania report prepared by Deloitte Romania, Reff & Associates- Deloitte Legal together with Knight Frank. 

Knight Frank will manage the Maraton office building in Poznan. Union Investment, the property owner, entrusted the company with the management of a building with a total GLA of more than 26,000 sqm.

Knight Frank was appointed sole agent to commercialise V.Offices – a project currently under construction by AFI Europe in Kraków – and buildings B and C of the Sportowa Centrum office complex in Gdynia. Knight Frank has also been appointed property manager of the Lobos office building in Kraków, a property is owned by the Lobos Group.

Q1 2017 saw Class A & B take-up reach approximately 97,300 sqm on the Bucharest office market and the average transaction size increased from approximately 1,800 sqm in Q1 2016, to approximately 2,400 sqm in Q1 2017.  There were 9,550 sqm delivered in two projects in the CBD (Central Business District), Knight Frank reports.

Caerus Investment Management has announced that on behalf of a private separate account client, it has advised and structured the acquisition of Phase 1 of the Futurama Office Park located in Prague 8, Czech Republic adjacent to the Invalidovna metro station.

Knight Frank has been appointed asset manager, property manager and sole agency of the Zgorzelec Plaza shopping and entertainment centre. A new lease agreement with a fitness services provider has also been signed recently.