In the past twelve months, retail properties have tried to make up for the challenges faced in the first year of the pandemic. Summarizing 2021 for the modern retail space sector, experts from BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland pointed to several key phenomena regarding the sector, including: a quick return of shoppers to retail facilities, retail parks standing becoming stronger, e-commerce continuing the way of the stable growth, as well as the increasingly important role of sustainable development and ESG policy.

Property group NEPI Rockcastle, the biggest owner of shopping centres in Romania, has purchased a land plot of 17 hectares Galați for an undisclosed sum. 

Supersam, a mixed-use destination in Katowice which includes a shopping centre and office buildings, is undergoing a transformation. It will soon feature more office space as well as a new restaurant section. The Konior Studio led by Silesian architect Tomasz Konior is responsible for the redevelopment project. The work should be completed in Q4 2022.

Around 100,000 sqm of new retail spaces should be completed during 2022 in Romania, of which more than 80% are located in retail parks, according to a report by real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. 

Romanian developer One United Properties has completed the acquisition of the Bucharest-based Bucur shopping centre. 

The main themes on Slovakia´s office, retail and industrial markets in the fourth quarter of 2021 were supply-side shortfalls and rising prices. However, the office market saw one of its strongest quarters yet as take-up soared. Cushman & Wakefield published its Q4 2021 snapshots for Slovakia’s office, retail and industrial sectors.

Over €5.7 billion - this is how much investors spent on commercial real estate in Poland throughout 2021, of which in the last quarter alone, the amount attained over €2.2 billion. The latest report prepared by BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland indicates that the past year was marked by a further strengthening of the logistics and industrial sector, making up for losses by retail and the continued battle against Covid's shortage of breath in the office sector.

Hunter REIM sold to Centerscape two retail parks located in Warsaw and Inowroclaw, offering ca. 4,550 square meters of leasable space, both assets having the Netto chain as the grocery anchor operator. Avison Young represented the seller in the transaction.

Robert Snincak, Head of Investment Operations CEE and Krystian Pachowka, Head of Logistics Asset Management CEE at CBRE Investment Management talked to Property Forum about the current investment trends in CEE countries, the rise of the warehouse and PRS markets in Poland and the recent changes in financing conditions.

Romanian developer Iulius will invest €40 million to expand the Iulius Mall Suceava project with 14,000 sqm in a bid to add new retailers as well as leisure and food operators.