The first half of the “pandemic year” was most difficult for retail players, considering the lockdown during the emergency state, but the recovery up until July has been better than most market participants were initially expecting, according to Colliers International’s market report for the first semester of 2020. In the industrial & logistics area, it has been business as usual during the pandemic, with some seeing big spikes in activity, but a significant pipeline of speculative developments and a competitive market are tilting the balance in favour or tenants.

A new real estate project will be developed in the Northern Romanian city of Bistrița on the grounds of the old location of the largest Romanian construction materials manufacturer’s former factory, in partnership with local real estate developer Alfa Construct Partners. Within this partnership, TeraPlast offers the land and Alfa Construct will build the properties at its own expense.

Chinese investment company Fosun has acquired the Floreasca Park office building in northern Bucharest from German investor GLL. The transaction was carried out through Fosun’s local subsidiary Resolution Property, which acts as a value-added real estate investment manager.

The first half of the “pandemic year” closed with a total value of investment transactions worth €408 million in Romania, around 18% above the first semester of 2019, with office assets accounting nearly 86% of volumes, according to Colliers International’s market report. Still, the outlook is uncertain since several large big-ticket items have either been frozen or fell through. On the opposite pole, the local land market continues to see deals closing and significant interest.

Atenor announced the signing of a financing of €80 million with pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank and Erste Bank. This funding for a period of 5 years (2020 - 2025) covers the three buildings that make up the 75,000 sqm Hermes Business Campus office complex in Bucharest.

AFI Europe NV has concluded a new agreement with NEPI for the purchase of 4 Class A office projects in Romania, with a total GLA of 118,500 sqm. The transaction value is of €290 million and the portfolio’s takeover is scheduled to be finalised within the next four months.   

A survey, prepared by Cushman & Wakefield in partnership with FIHR, targeting Romanian hoteliers was launched in April 2020 to understand the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic holds on the commercial lodging industry. The survey asses the ways in which business have been affected while identifying the critical factors to prevail from the crisis. Cushman & Wakefield and FIHR remain committed towards ensuring that the industry receives appropriate support by collecting and analysing available data and appealing to authorities.

Speedwell has launched sales for the second phase of Triama Residence, the residential compound developed in Bucharest, so a new stock of apartments is now available. The developer is starting a new building, after selling more than 90% of the apartments built in the first phase, which will be delivered at the end of this year.

Element Industrial announced four new tenants for the recently delivered second phase of Eli Park 1. Euro Games Technology Romania, a company active in the production and distribution of a wide range of products in the gaming industry, Mobilier 1, online home & deco retailer, Decor Floor, a leader in commercial and residential floors and Dentotal, the market leader in the distribution of dentistry products rented over 10,000 sqm in Eli Park 1, the logistics park developed by Element Industrial in the Buftea Chitila area.

Local real estate developer Forte Partners is planning to build 500 apartments on Calea Serban Voda in Bucharest. The residential building will be erected next to the developer’s U Center office project, which is currently underway. The company's second major residential project is valued at €200 million.