2016’s record-breaking €12.2 billion investment in the real estate sector in the CEE region is likely to be surpassed in 2017 – this is according to CEE Real Estate Investment Compass 2017 published by Colliers International and CMS. The sources of investment flows into the CEE region are also expected to remain diverse in 2017, with Asian and CEE investors becoming increasingly active in the real estate market.

The departure of ICU Medical from the manufacturing complex in the southwestern Slovak city of Vráble, made a modern light–industrial facility available for sale on a vacant possession basis. The complex consists of facility with a gross usable area of 7,000 sqm and 3 ha of available land for further development The new owner, Slovak company TESGAL, provides surface treatments of metal parts used mostly in the automotive and consumer industry. 

Vienna-based real estate investment company S Immo AG has launched another project in Bratislava, the Einsteinova Business Center. The property is located right near the Danube in the Petržalka district and is directly connected to the old town via a pedestrian and tram bridge. An office building offering 23,500 sqm of lettable space is being built on the site, which encompasses roughly 11,600 sqm. The building is planned as a green building and should receive BREEAM certification with a level of “Excellent”.

Colliers International announced that Luke Dawson has returned to Colliers International, effective immediately, in the role of Managing Director & Head of Capital Markets for Central & Eastern Europe (CEE).

Savills has appointed Ben Maudling to head up its Czech Republic and Slovakia operations, in order to support the company’s continued expansion across Central Eastern Europe (CEE). 

TriGranit, celebrating its 20th anniversary in business in 2017, will this year launch its newest development in Budapest, the Millennium Gardens office building that will provide 37,000 sqm GLA for future tenants from H2 2019 on the banks of the Danube, next to MÜPA and the prospective Congress Centre. In 2017, the company also plans to start the development of Building H, the eighth building in its office complex in Krakow, Bonarka for Business (B4B), providing 10,000 sqm GLA, and plans to start the second phase of Lakeside Park in Slovakia with 13,000 sqm GLA. 

The amount of industrial space leased in key Central and Eastern European markets in 2016 was the largest ever recorded, totalling 5.7 million sqm. This represents a 25% increase over the preceding two years when about 4.5 million sqm was leased. The strong take-up among tenants was linked with an extensive new development at 2.2 million sqm. The findings are based on the research conducted by Cushman & Wakefield, which has been monitoring the industrial property market in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia over an extended period.

ČS Real Estate fund, the largest and oldest Czech open-ended property fund, managed by REICO, has acquired the Park One office building in Bratislava for €35.6 million from private investment firm Falcon II Fund. 

Martin Hudak has been promoted to the position of Head of Industrial Agency at Cushman & Wakefield in Slovakia.

JLL has appointed Miroslav Barnas as Country Manager of its Czech Republic business, which is headquartered in Prague, with immediate effect. He will lead the Czech business alongside his existing responsibilities as Country Manager for JLL's business in Slovakia.