Investment flows into the CEE region rose 70% year-on-year in Q1 2017. The level of €2.8 billion is some €0.5 billion higher than the preliminary estimate of €2.3 billion Colliers International published at the beginning of April. Money invested into the Czech Republic  (56% share) and Hungary (19% share) contributed particularly to the significant jump. Looking within the numbers, the retail sector accounted for nearly half (47%) of the flows, leaving the office sector trailing with a 21% share. Of interest and also a sign of buoyant economic growth, the fastest growth was seen in the hotel sector with a portfolio transaction contributing to the €415mn total (a 15% share). 

PZU’s office building in Wrocław – Komandorska 12 – has been recognized with an LEED Gold certificate. The building includes systems that control water, heat and energy consumption. Furthermore, its architecture ensures access to natural daylight on 80% of floor space. 

Poland’s industrial and warehouse sector recorded the strongest first quarter in its history. Schemes with the total area of 592,000 sqm were delivered to the market between January and the end of March, which represents as much as 45% of the total volume of 2016. BNP Paribas Real Estate highlights that the invariable driving force behind the market’s growth for the past several quarters have been businesses from the e-commerce sector.

In Q1 2017 a total of 970,000 sqm was leased on the warehouse market in Poland, 42% more than in Q1 2016. Developers put into operation 475,000 sqm and over 1.4 million sqm are under construction. Results for the first quarter of 2017 allow optimistic forecasts for the coming months according to AXI IMMO’s latest report.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is participating in the acquisition of Żabka, one of Poland’s leading food retailers, with an equity investment of up to €25 million.

There is currently 1.66 million sqm of office space under development in Poland, of which 965,000 is located outside Warsaw. Historically, this is the highest construction activity registered on Poland's regional markets, JLL reports. During the first three months of 2017, companies signed lease agreements for 371,700 sqm of office space, of which 177,700 sqm was leased on markets outside Warsaw. 

Skanska has launched the construction works of the second building of its Spark office complex in the Wola district of Warsaw. It will provide 18,000 sqm of modern office space and will be located at Serek Wolski. This ten-floor building, which will be developed during the II phase of Spark, will be delivered to market in Q1 2019.

Over time, some office locations enhance their position in the eyes of tenants while others – lose popularity. The reason for this change usually results from communication infrastructure as its development can create new business regions. JLL has taken a closer look at tenants’ preferences regarding office locations on major Polish markets based on concluded lease agreements. The company focused solely on new deals – excluding renewals of already existing contracts and expansions – signed in Warsaw (in 2012 and 2016), and Kraków, Wrocław, Tri-City, Katowice, Poznań and Łódź (in 2011 and 2016).

Panattoni Europe is building a production facility for Reuss Seifert, German-based supplier of components for the construction industry. The facility featuring in excess of 30,000 sqm is going up in Nowa Sól, at the Kostrzyn-Słubice Special Economic Zone. The contract was mediated by CBRE.

P3 has celebrated the raising of the last pillar of a new, 31,904 sqm warehouse at P3 Poznań park in Poland’s rapidly developing Gądki logistics area. One-third of the building - 10,000 sqm - will be occupied by British American Tobacco Polska. The BAT space, which will be commissioned in August 2017, is being designed to meet the company’s specific needs. The remaining space is being built on speculative basis.