The influx of refugees has resulted in further demand on Poland’s already fast-paced residential market. At the same time, fears over a prolonged or escalated crisis might decrease investment activity in the short run. Bartłomiej Annusewicz, CEO of luxury residential real estate agency Lions Estate talked to Property Forum about the trends driving various segments of the market.

HB Reavis has just obtained the occupancy permit for Forest tower, one of its flagship investments that is almost fully leased. With fit-out works now in progress in the 55,000 sqm Tower, the campus offers its full complement of 78,000 sqm GLA.

CREAM Property Advisors is now responsible for leasing the retail space of the Galeria Bemowo shopping centre in Warsaw.

The construction of the P180 office building, Skanska's investment, located directly next to the Wilanowska metro station in Warsaw, is entering its final phase. A symbolic topping out of the building signifies the end of construction works. The project will ultimately provide 32,000 sqm of office space. The building is scheduled to be commissioned in September 2022.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has been awarded BREEAM In-Use v.6 for its Westfield Arkadia, Galeria Mokotów and Galeria Wileńska shopping centres in Warsaw, all of which were rated as ‘Excellent’ for asset performance.

Premium rents in Prague to rise and interesting incentives from landlords are expected. There is also a growing interest in office rents in Brno, which is responding to the growth in rents over the past two years. Premium rents also grew slightly in Ostrava. Leasing activity in Bratislava is keeping pace with new construction and, together with Vienna, is expecting a recovery. In Warsaw, upward pressure on premium rents will grow, but there is likely to be an easing of existing incentives for tenants. Budapest is gradually recovering from the covid crisis. Rents will remain stable this year, reports CBRE.

Wola Center, the office building in Warsaw acquired by the Hines European Value Fund (HEVF 1) in 2020, and subsequently managed by global real estate firm Hines, has received a BREEAM In-Use Excellent certification.

French asset management company MNK Partners has added the NC3 building in Warsaw to its MNK One portfolio. The office building is located on ul. Postępu in the city's Służewiec business district. The value of transaction has not been disclosed. 

Ghelamco has announced the sale of office buildings together with a retail and service passage in The Warsaw HUB complex. Google Poland is the purchaser, one of the main tenants of the building.

AFI Europe, an international investment group, is to buy shares in the Towarowa 22 project in Warsaw. AFI Europe and Echo Investment will jointly develop the commercial part of this complex. Echo Investment will independently be the investor of the residential part and the developer of the entire project.