Cornerstone Partners, a corporate and real estate private equity investment manager, together with Crestyl Group, a Czech leader in developing multi-purpose real estate projects, have entered into a contract to buy Polish residential developer Budimex Nieruchomości. Other partners participating in the deal include blue-chip financial investors. The conclusion of the transaction is subject to approval from Poland's Anti-Monopoly Office.

Growing international interest in pop-up stores has taken hold due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused a reevaluation of both traditional sales models, and customer shopping expectations. The main benefits associated with this particular format are the element of surprise, the opportunity to further enhance a retail offer as well as the chance to attract new groups of customers. Owners and tenants of retail locations are starting to see the benefit of pop-up stores along with many global brands such as Gucci and Prada, which have already responded to current trading conditions. So, is Poland set to see this trend as well?

Echo Investment has commissioned a second office building in My Place, a multifunctional project located in the Warsaw's Dolny Mokotów district. As a result, an urban quarter combining offices, residential and commercial premises has been completed.

Eagle JVCo, the investment vehicle established in 2019 between Vienna-based Value One and Nuveen Real Estate on behalf of its parent TIAA, has agreed to acquire a portfolio of purpose-built student housing and two development sites in Poland.

Cavatina Holding has started construction on the second stages of Palio Office Park in Gdańsk and Ocean Office Park in Kraków. The total area of both stages comes to 34,200 sqm.

In 2020, demand for warehouses reached a record 4.8 million sqm, with supply expanding by more than 2 million sqm. Almost 1.9 million sqm remained in the under construction pipeline. Advisory firm JLL summarizes the situation on the Polish industrial market at the end of 2020.

The refurbishment of the Stratos Office Center, which is situated in the very centre of Warsaw, is nearing completion. Lift foyers on all the floors of the building have been revamped as part of the refurbishment works that are coming to an end. New amenities added to the Stratos Office Center include a Dobro&Dobro café and a fitness room available to tenants. The building will soon see the opening of a two-room conference suite.

Echo Investment will take over a majority stake of the Wrocław-based Archicom company from its founders. Once the transaction is finalized, the Echo-Archicom group will be the largest residential developer in Poland – only in 2021, it will start the construction of 7,000 apartments for sale and rent.

According to JLL, the value of real estate investment transactions in Central and Eastern Europe totalled more than €9.7 billion in 2020. Poland with €5.6 billion continued its dominance among CEE countries, with the Czech Republic in second place with €1.5 billion (after excluding the Residomo deal of €1.3 billion). Total volumes in Hungary amounted to €1.25 billion, while in Romania and Slovakia total value hit €900 and €525 million respectively.

Torus has sold the fourth and final stage of the Alchemia business complex in Gdansk - the Neon office building. The buyer is global real estate investment manager DWS, on behalf of one of its German retail real estate funds. The net value of the transaction is over €80 million.