Consolidation of the residential business, maintaining a high rental level in all completed Resi4Rent projects, starting new "destination" projects – this is a summary of the operational activities of Echo Investment Group in the first half of 2023. The Group's development plans are supported by a high cash balance of over PLN 662 million. 

Accolade is expanding its portfolio with a new facility in Upper Silesia. The warehouse park in Ruda Śląska will have a total area of 67,000 sqm, nearly half of which is already leased to a single tenant. The investment is valued at €55 million.

According to the latest data from Cushman & Wakefield, the average retail vacancy rate in Poland’s largest cities currently stands at 3.5%, down by 1.2 pp year-on-year. More importantly, falls were recorded in six out of the eight largest cities, with the availability of retail space at the lowest in Kraków, Łódź and Szczecin. This suggests a gradual retail recovery in Poland, says Cushman & Wakefield. Meanwhile, as the market continues to stabilize, retail landlords should increasingly turn their focus onto diversifying their offer.

Vastint Poland is launching its first project in the Private Rented Sector (PRS). The Pastelowo estate will be built on Pastelowa Street in Poznań, in the immediate vicinity of the Business Garden complex. The development includes 255 apartments, which will be entirely for long-term rental. The project will be ready in early 2025, at which time the first contracts with future tenants are scheduled to be signed.

Trei Real Estate has just presented its mid-year financials for 2023. Despite a difficult market environment for developers, Trei continues its developments of residential real estate in Germany, Poland and the United States as well as of retail real estate in Poland. The development pipeline amounted to a total value of €1.9 billion by 30 June 2022, which represents a drop of c. €100 million since 31 December 2022. The decline is essentially explained by the completion of three retail parks in Poland as well as by the completion and the highly successful sale of the “Atlantic Beach House” residential project in Charleston/South Carolina, whose disposal generated around 35 per cent IRR for Trei. Out of the total development pipeline of €1.9 billion, the residential use class accounts for €1.7 billion while retail developments in Poland account for €200 million.

Panattoni has developed a BTS centre for the Tenneco Group in Gliwice. The European Engineering Centre is to serve the company as a research and development centre for new technologies and Monroe products including conventional drive control systems (Monroe OE Solutions) and advanced suspension systems (Monroe Intelligent Suspension). Around 240 engineers are to work in the new 10,000 sqm centre to support both the leading automotive manufacturers and the other manufacturing centres of the Group.

Globalworth has recorded a net operating income of €73.7 million in the first half of 2023, up by 5.6% compared to the same period of last year, while the development pipeline includes industrial projects in Romania and the refurbishment of mixed-use projects in Poland. 

Partners Group and Peakside Capital Advisors have completed the purchase of 5 ha plot on Kinetyczna Street in Okęcie, Warsaw. This exceptional last-mile location, situated in close proximity to the Chopin Airport and at the intersection between Warsaw’s Southern Ring Road and the S79 exit road, has been earmarked for a sustainable warehouse development dedicated to urban logistics. The transaction was made by the existing joint venture between both parties.

Popeyes is to open its first Warsaw restaurant in Złote Tarasy on 21 September. The fast food chain from Louisiana is the seventh new tenant to come to Złote Tarasy in 2023 after such brands as LUSH, Candy Pop, and Hugo. Cushman & Wakefield, which is responsible for the re-commercialisation and property management for the scheme, expects to see more international debuts in Złote Tarasy later this year.

Total demand for office space on regional markets in the first half of the year was similar to last year’s level, but there were more vacant offices in all major markets, except Warsaw. Warsaw recorded a 30 percent decrease in demand for offices, and yet the vacancy rate decreased. Only a few office projects are being implemented across Poland, says Walter Herz.