Investment fund Focus Estate Fund has set the goal to expand the geography of its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. In the next two years, the Fund plans to more than double its portfolio by strengthening its position in the niche of medium-sized commercial real estate in Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as by entering the Slovak market.

Panattoni Europe has embarked on the construction of Panattoni Park Zabrze with planned space of 64,200 sqm. The distribution centre is being built in a historic industrial part of the city, and has already secured its first tenants. They are – a beer producer set to take up 5,400 sqm and Ban-Food, a logistics operator with 2,200 sqm. The first 20,000 sqm will be available already this autumn.

Soon after announcing the construction of S5 Wrocław North Gate, Panattoni Europe revealed another project in Lower Silesia – Panattoni Park Wrocław XI. The investment, planned to total 100,000 sqm, has become number one for Pantos Logistics. The company will take up 72,000 sqm in the park to run operations for LG Chem, LG Electronics and others. The project as a whole is scheduled for completion on 30 November 2019.

Colliers International is extending its range of services in Poland. The company has been joined by Bartosz Jankowski, who has become the director of the new Design & Build department as a partner. The new business line will offer fit-out and construction services, including comprehensive implementation of space arrangement projects in office, hotel and service buildings.

Approximately €754 million was invested in Polish commercial property in the first quarter of 2019, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest investment market report.

In order to finance its further growth, Globalworth successfully completed a capital increase of €500.5 million. The EBRD invested a further €25 million to support the company’s planned growth. The Bank became a shareholder in Globalworth in December 2017 and currently holds a 5.8 per cent stake in the company.

The first quarter of 2019 proved to be a very good one for the industrial sector in Poland - the gross take-up exceeded 800,000 sqm with more than 620,000 sqm being delivered to the market, and approx. two million sqm under construction. JLL summarized the situation on the Polish industrial market at the end of Q1 2019.

SGI SA has sold the Lastadia Office in Szczecin to a company managed by Greenstone Sp. z o.o. Lastadia was delivered to the market in 2013 and offers ca. 12,500 sqm of GLA. It is located at the banks of Oder River along Wały Chrobrego and is fully let to international and Polish tenants.

In the first quarter of 2019, leasing activity hit 140,100 sqm on the Warsaw office market, of which more than 101,000 was transacted under new deals and expansions. Cushman & Wakefield summarised the Warsaw office market in Q1 2019.

JLL advised Atrium European Real Estate Limited in the disposal process of two Polish shopping centres, namely Atrium Felicity and Atrium Koszalin to the ECE European Prime Shopping Centre Fund II, managed by the independent fund managing company ECE Real Estate Partners. The parties signed on 9th May 2019 an agreement concerning the sale of both assets for €298 million, representing around 3% premium to book value as at 31 March 2019. The transaction is subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions precedent and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019.