Briefs

<>The city's press office responds

<>Szczecin revisited

<>Last month we reported on how Szczecin city officials were devoting their energies to a EUR 1 billion project proposed by a mysterious German businessman, Jorg Duske who, rudimentary research revealed, has been responsible for a string of business liquidations and failed undertakings. We wished to know why the authorities wanted to spend so much time on the issue, and why they had sent a delegation of officials to South Africa. 12 days after having sent our questions, we finally received a reply from the city's press office. Jerzy Krawiec, a city director, informed us that officials had met subcontractors in South Africa who had expressed interest in working in Szczecin. The question that begs to be asked is "What subcontractors?" Mr Duske's consortium included his own newly created businesses - Deutsch Africa & Tyger Developer. Furthermore, the two other members were either seemingly fictitious (Anderson Capital) or simply not involved (LPRS). In a further demonstration of his unsuitability as a business partner Mr Duske placed the promotional video for Century City - Cape Town (the inspiration for the Szczecin plan) on his website and had manipulated it by inserting the LPRS and Anderson Capital logos. The management of Century City - Cape Town told Eurobuild that they had no connection with Mr Duske had demanded that the file be removed immediately. Mr Martin Wragge, the CEO of LPRS made a similar request. He had only discussed the Szczecin concept briefly when approached by the German, but that was the extent of the relationship.

<>Tyger bad, Deutsch good?

<>Mr Krawiec said that the city was already in possession of information regarding Mr Duske's unreliability and that it has insisted that Tyger Developer be removed from all future agreements. As Deutsch Africa is also run by the German, it is not clear why it too didn't suffer this fate. The city's mayor requested Deutsch Africa to draw up detailed financial plans and an investment strategy and submit them by 2nd July. The lack of news since then would seem to indicate that the whole scheme is dead in the water. It is just a shame that it took two months to finally come to this conclusion.

<>Green light for Wiśniowy's final phase

<>The design for 'Building F', the final phase of Wiśniowy Business Park, has received a building permit. The new Class A offices, which are a joint venture between GE Capital Golub Europe and Heitman Central Europe Property Partners, will offer 16,400 sqm of rentable space, which will make it larger than Wiśniowy's 5 existing buildings. Phase F also sees a change of architects, with the British firm responsible for previous phases having been replaced by a design team led by Aukett Polska along with engineers WSP Polska. Space is currently being pre-leased, with the developer promising a 13 month delivery schedule once construction has been started. The Wiśniowy Business Park development is located in the Włochy district of Warsaw on the northern perimetre of the city's Okęcie airport.

<>Crown Tower already half-let

<>Fresenius Kabi, a German provider of health products and services has become the second tenant to sign up for Ghelamco's Crown Tower office building, which is set to be delivered at the end of the year. The German firm, which will lease 1,000 sqm, joins Gerling who will be the anchor tenant with 3,500 sqm. Both Fresenius and Gerling were represented by Colliers.

<>New claims in Złote Tarasy row

<>After the Warsaw Administrative Court halted construction of the Złote Tarasy office and retail centre, the newspaper "Życie Warszawy" has revealed demands being made by the Stowarzyszenie Przyjazne Miasto (Friendly City Society), the main opponent to the project. According to ZW the protesters have demanded PLN 50 mln from the developer ING Real Estate, which would be transferred via the society's bank to the city's coffers. Jerzy Wojnar, Friendly City's president denies that they are making financial claims but states that if the developer modifies certain elements of the project then it will withdraw its complaint. The society is said to want an abandonment of the high-rise office element, a halving of the car park capacity to 800 spaces and an extension of underground pedestrian paths in order to link Złote Tarasy with the central station.