Shopping in parks

But what is a modern retail park? Paul Ayre defines them as a group of large retail properties which are not confined within a single structure. He explains, "Individual buildings are connected only by a facade or passages, so allowing unrestricted traffic between them."

Missing link

Anna Wysocka who heads the retail properties section of CB Richard Ellis claims that no classic retail parks have yet appeared in Poland, thereby confirming what Paul Ayre said about a missing link. She said however, "Several sites exist in Poland which deserve to be called 'hybrid retail parks'. When new large-surface retail outlets grow up around a shopping centre, the whole complex is very much like a retail park. Such is the case with the Trzy Stawy Katowice centre and Centrum Janki (suburbs of Warsaw), both managed by Apsys." Skanska Property Poland once revealed it was willing to develop retail parks, though now is mainly associated with office and apartment buildings and does not seem to be over-eager to make such investments. However Skanska Project Development Europe which supervises Skanska Property Poland is currently working on so-called large-area shopping centres in the Czech Republic and Hungary. We were informed by the company's Warsaw office that similar investments in Poland are, for the moment, in the "conceptual stage."

100,000 sqm in Targówek

Work is being started on construction of the third stage of a retail park (featuring Dixons, Britain's leading retailer of household electronics) where Inter Ikea Centre Polska is the investor. The decision to begin the fourth stage of the investment hangs entirely on the good-will of city officials. Broadway Malyan is responsible for the architectural aspects, spatial planning and distribution of retail space. Paul Ayre elaborates, "We designed the two-storey centre, equipping the interiors for many of the tenants, also providing restaurant facilities and a passage containing small retail outlets to supplement the range of goods offered by the Ikea store which was already present." Wojciech Dzwonkowski of Inter Ikea Centre Polska, the venture's investor explains, "The tenants of the furniture centre will be Polish manufacturers who have not yet been able to sell their furniture directly. We are offering them a standard, architecturally attractive, sales area for the sale of furniture and interior design products." When completed the new space will total around 78,000 sqm. In addition the 46 ha site will also have a motorcar sales centre comprising of several showrooms. This will be developed by a different operator. The entire park will be around 108,000 sqm including the existing Ikea and Decathlon retail outlets.

But what about its appearance?

Paul Ayre agrees that, "Most shopping centres are anything but attractive. Whereas with office buildings and hotels, where architecture is an essential feature, developers neglect this aspect of retail properties somewhat. Many buildings look like something from a Wild West town: fine facade and ugly rear. But that is going to be completely different in the case of the Targówek retail park." Wojciech Dzwonkowski of Inter Ikea Centre Polska is of the same opinion, adding that his company is not interested in creating "a set of boxes." He elaborates, "We want to create something quite distinct in Targówek, which is dominated by retail, and includes quality sports and recreational facilities. The three lakes in the park will be used, whilst a sports fields will also be constructed." Inter Ikea Centre is clearly convinced that retail parks are here to stay since it is constructing on more and more sites and setting up retail parks around its existing furniture retail outlets. Within 3 years the Bielany park in Wrocław is to grow by 25,000 sqm to reach 90,000 sqm whilst the Gdansk Matarnia centre is to expand by 33,000 sqm. Conceptual work is proceeding on a retail park in Łódź to feature retail outlets, a furniture centre and sports and entertainments infrastructure. Its target size is to be around 100,000 sqm.

Well known brands

Ikea can afford to develop retail parks since it owns attractive sites on city outskirts and is also a well-known and respected brand. Clients visit its parks to shop in a specific outlet and not as in retail centres where they generally value the diversity. Monika Jędrzejczak, from Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker's retail department, lists their positive features, "Retail parks can become beneficial localities for tenants who require lower rents since these parks are situated on city outskirts. Since they are not enclosed centres with heating and airconditioning the tentants incur yet lower costs. They are also able to fare well without hypermarkets because though fewer customers are attracted, those that do come are likely to spend more money. They come to make purchases and not to go window shopping or to look for special offers." Ms Jędrzejczak and Marek Noetzel (also C&W H&W) work together on the concept of retail parks for Inter Ikea Centre in Poland and it is worth noting that Poland and the Czech Republic are the first markets in which the Swedish firm is opening such operations. In Monika Jędrzejczak's opinion, a retail park to some extent reflects an urban system, which is why, as Paul Ayre also stresses, its essential feature is so-called small architecture: benches, light open spaces, and greenery. Monika Jedrzejczak explains that a retail park may look like a high street, immediately adding that what she has in mind is not a Polish street with its small shops of around 100 sqm, rather London's Oxford Street or Rivoli in Paris where retail outlets of greater than 1500 sqm exist.