Krzysztof Poznański, Managing Director of the Polish Council of Shopping Centres, has talked to Property Forum about the industry's struggle with the effects of the pandemic, the impact of rising energy prices and double-digit inflation.

Will the non-functioning office buildings and shopping centers be taken over by residential buildings? Arguments for and against this measure are listed by Piotr Łopusiński, Associate Director, Investment at Avison Young Poland.

Retail parks and convenience centers emerged as the most resilient retail sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, with customers putting an emphasis on quick and efficient shopping. The development of the Polish retail market continues apace, with the retail park format taking the lead in terms of stock expansion. In H1 2022, developers completed 183,200 sqm of GLA of new retail space, 66% of which was delivered in the form of retail parks and convenience centers dedicated to everyday, quick shopping. However, another 341,700 sqm of GLA is expected to enter the market by the end of 2022, with retail parks accounting for 53% of this total. 2022 could well be another record-breaking year for this segment in terms of space delivered to the market.

Retail parks are growing in smaller Polish towns, mixed-use facilities and new residential estates provide commercial space in large cities, says Walter Herz.

Immofinanz has opened its eleventh Stop Shop strip mall in Poland. It is located in Zielona Góra, close to the German border.

The sale of office buildings, the increase in the assets’ value and the preparatory works for the next "destination" projects are the highlights of the financial results of Echo Investment for H1 2022. 

Managing retail assets was never an easy job. As the energy crisis is no longer a future problem and the recession seems inevitable, firms involved face huge challenges and have to rethink their strategy and short-term steps to survive. Property Forum asked Miklós Gyertyánfy, Chief Operating Officer at Hungary-based landlord Gránit Pólus Management Zrt. about their way to tackle those challenges.

Polish retail developer Scallier has completed four retail parks in Romania to date, after the opening of a new project spanning 9,000 sqm in Turda in late September. 

Liebrecht & wooD has started preparations for its latest project in Warsaw’s Praga-Północ district. Drucianka Campus will be developed as part of the revitalization of Drucianka (the Warsaw Wire, Pin and Nail Factory), which will be a large-scale mixed-use complex, offering 42,000 sqm of office space and more than 7,500 sqm of additional space for retail, services and events.

Members of the panel on ESG investments at CEE Property Forum 2022 in Vienna agreed that environmental issues are addressed much better than the social and governance parts of ESG. Panellists emphasised that leading organizations in the CRE industry should give clear guidance for improving 'S' and 'G' performance at all levels.