Cushman & Wakefield has summarized the first quarter of 2023 and trends shaping the Warsaw office market, which came third among key European office locations for take-up. The Polish capital is entering a phase of renewing leases made in the peak years of 2018-2019. Another positive development is the prospect of several new construction starts in the city’s central zones. According to Cushman & Wakefield, new projects will experience the strongest upward pressure on rents.

The largest office complex in Central and Eastern Europe – Business Park Sofia, started its long-term transformation into a greener and more active urban space that offers complete experiences, recreation, and culture to its residents and guests.

Following other large corporations, New-York based asset manager BlackRock will order a massive return of its employees in the office starting this autumn. The company added a day to its current requirement of three days a week in the office in a bid to boost collaboration and training of its employees. 

Baltic Horizon Fund has signed an agreement with East Capital Real Estate Fund IV to sell 100% shares of BH Duetto UAB which owns the Duetto I and II office buildings in Vilnius, Lithuania. The sales price of the assets is approximately €37 million, which is close to the latest valuation.

MOL Campus, the headquarters of the biggest company in Hungary, has already obtained a BREEAM Excellent certification. The complex offers 86,000 sqm of office and some retail space on 28 floors to host 2,500 staff. 

Yitzhak Hagag, Co-Founder and Shareholder of Hagag Development Europe, spoke with Property Forum about the ongoing developments in Romania and the company's plan to invest around €130 million in the local property market in the upcoming years. Hagag also outlined the growing potential of the newly launched private offices division, which has already reached an occupancy rate above 60%.

The Center - West area (Politehnica, Orhideea, Cotroceni) has become the largest office hub in Bucharest, overtaking the Floreasca – Barbu Văcărescu submarket in Q1 2023, according to research by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. This area is set to maintain its leading position in the medium term, considering the current development pipeline in the city. 

The renovation of Liget Center, a Wing development, is about to reach a new milestone: a new building with an all-glass facade will join the existing office buildings – Liget Center Classic and Liget Center Auditorium – in the inner courtyard. Liget Center Vitrum will offer an additional 2200 sqm of leasable area in the city centre.

Mindspace, the flex office provider, has opened its second Polish location, Mindspace Skyliner at Rondo Daszyńskiego in Warsaw. The new location spans 4,400 sqm and comprises private offices, common areas and boutique conference rooms.

In the first quarter of 2023, the total office stock in Bratislava represented 2.02 million sqm. Compared to the previous quarter, the prime rent rose to the level of €17.5/sqm/month, the Bratislava Research Forum reports.