GTC signed a €130 million refinancing loan agreement for one of the largest assets in its portfolio, Galeria Jurajska. Located in Częstochowa, the 48,700 sqm shopping centre offers over 200 stores, service points, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema.

The Park Center shopping centre in Sofia, managed by Ceres Management Services, is now fully leased. On the last business day of 2019, the lease agreement for the last remaining vacant space in the mall (60 sqm on floor 2) was signed, which will be transformed into a new dining concept.

The area of Budapest’s Arena Mall could grow from its current 42,000 sqm to 60,000 sqm, following the property manager’s application for an extension last December, local daily HVG reports. If the plans are realised, Arena Mall will become the largest shopping centre in Hungary.

Local investor DRFG, through its Czech Real Estate Investment Fund, has acquired the Olomouc CITY shopping centre from Mint Investments. With this acquisition, DRFG manages the first primarily leisure-oriented property in its portfolio.

Multi Hungary announced its extensive refurbishment plans for Allee shopping centre in Buda, in the most densely populated district of Budapest. Multi will upgrade and renovate the 46,700 sqm shopping centre, while enhancing the tenant mix, interior and exterior design and customer services. Multi will start the execution phase in the second quarter of 2020 and expects to complete most of the work still in 2020.

The open real estate fund Investika purchased the Galerie Butovice shopping centre located in the popular office area Nové Butovice in Prague 5. CBRE advised Investika on the acquisition.

French AEW Europe and Hungarian Indotek Group have concluded an agreement regarding the acquisition of the Promenada shopping centre in Târgu Mureș, Romania. The 50,000 sqm building’s tenants include Auchan, Leroy Merlin, Decathlon, H&M, Cinema City, LC Waikiki, New Yorker, Hervis and Media Galaxy. Indotek Group plans to renovate and modernize the whole building and plans further acquisitions to strengthen its presence on the Romanian commercial real estate market.

GTC Serbia opened Ada Mall, its first shopping centre in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the only latest-generation shopping centre in the Serbian capital and covers an area of over 34,000 sqm. This extraordinary shopping mall was designed to provide its visitors with a unique Belgradian shopping experience.

225,000 sqm of total space, 82,000 sqm of GLA with 76,000 sqm allocated to retail and F&B, 6,000 sqm of office space, over 200 shops and 36 restaurants, the tallest shopfront windows in Poland (over 7 m high), 10 screen multiplex cinema with comfortable, recliner seating, a 200 sqm stage/event area, 2,500 sqm green terrace area, 2,000 parking spaces, 20 coworking spaces – these are some of the numbers which can be used to describe the Galeria Mlociny shopping centre which will open on 23 May.

As shopping centre markets reach maturity in most European countries, there will be growing polarisation between successful prime schemes and struggling secondary sites which have to diversify to survive, according to new research from Cushman & Wakefield.