Łódź is busy readying itself for an influx of new companies. The city is investing in its road and transport infrastructure as well as revitalizing some of the city's quarters. As a result, Łódź is attracting more investors.These include companies from the rapidly expanding business services sector which are fuelling the expansion of Łódź's office market. New office clusters are being developed throughout the city. In 2018, the city will gain another 45,000 sqm of modern space. However, the business services sector is not the only sector that is powering the city’s economy, according to JLL.

Cushman & Wakefield launched its latest Łódź real estate market report at MIPIM. The report, prepared in cooperation with the Investor Service and International Cooperation Bureau of the City of Łódź Office, contains an overview of the city, its growth potential, numerous revitalisation projects and commercial property market. Its key findings were presented at the Łódź stand at MIPIM by Zuzanna Krech, a Negotiator in the Office Agency of Cushman & Wakefield, and representatives of the city’s authorities.

Skanska has sold Nowa Fabryczna building in Łódź, Poland, to real estate fund manager Niam. It is the developer’s second office project in the city, and the seventh Skanska property Niam has acquired in the Polish regional markets since 2015.

Łódź will become the second Polish city after Warsaw with projects by HB Reavis. The company has become the new owner of a plot at 2 Targowa Street in Nowe Centrum Łodzi (The New Centre of Łódź). According to the local zoning plan, the area will consist of office buildings with publicly accessible retail and walkable spaces on the ground floors. The listed buildings located on the plot will also be preserved. The price of the plot has not been revealed.

Panattoni Europe is expanding Central European Logistics Hub. The new tenant at the developer’s largest distribution centre is the Media Expert chain, which will take up a facility with approx. 73,300 sqm of space. Construction works will start in Q2 of 2018.

Aerium, a European real estate fund manager has disposed of three shopping centres in Poland to Newbridge, a Warsaw-based investment & development firm. The portfolio includes CH Czyzyny and CH Bielawy, both opened in 2002 in the cities of Krakow and Torun, respectively, and CH Guliwer, which has been operating in Lodz since 1997. The assets comprise over 72,000 sqm of gross lettable space and are anchored by Carrefour on a long-term lease.

Panattoni Europe is to build a distribution and online store service centre for SMYK. The facility, which will feature 70,000 sqm at full build-out, will be erected at the Panattoni Central European Logistics Hub in Łódź. The investment will be launched in early January and will proceed in a number of phases. The first 26,000 sqm is scheduled for commissioning in June 2018. The lease transaction was mediated by JLL.Panattoni Europe is to build a distribution and online store service centre for SMYK. The facility, which will feature 70,000 sqm at full build-out, will be erected at the Panattoni Central European Logistics Hub in Łódź. The investment will be launched in early January and will proceed in a number of phases. The first 26,000 sqm is scheduled for commissioning in June 2018. The lease transaction was mediated by JLL.

Ghelamco has finalised the sale of Przystanek mBank, a build-to-suit office complex in the New Center of Łódź. The transaction led by companies from the Ghelamco Group included a long-term investor LCN Capital Partners and mBank. The value of the transaction is approximately €60 million.

Panattoni Europe is to build a factory for Ontex, a Belgian producer of personal hygiene products. The facility featuring in excess of 26,000 sqm will be located in Radomsko, within the Łódź Special Economic Zone (ŁSSE). Construction works are about to begin in early December and are scheduled to end in July 2018.

Benson Elliot, the UK-based private equity real estate fund manager, on behalf of its pan- European fund, Benson Elliot Real Estate Partners IV L.P. (BEREP IV) has acquired four grade A office buildings in key Polish regional markets. The properties, secured in separate off-market transactions with four different vendors, follow the fund’s acquisition of the 350-room Warsaw Sheraton Hotel in October 2015.