Spreading their wings

The company is also planning developments in the retail and residential sectors, as well as some office, hotel and recreational projects. The company already has some experience in the retail sector because so far it has built and leased two retail parks located in Silesia: in Rydułtowy (leasable area, 6,900 sqm) and Ruda Śląska (leasable area, 3,000 sqm) as well as the DL Invest Center Point Katowice office and retail project (leasable area, 3,000 sqm). Since appetite comes with eating, the company is consideringfurther developments. Its plans have now been spread out over a few years because of the significant size and variety of the projects involved.

Silesia as a logistics hub
Its largest project will be the DL Invest Park Psary/Czeladź logistics centre. The land was purchased and the application for the relevant permits began as early as 2008. The plot where the complex is to be developed has an area in excess of 900,000 sqm and is located near national road no. 86 linking Katowice and Warsaw. With this site the group will be competing with some of the largest warehouse developers. Panattoni Park Czeladź and the Alliance Silesia park (owned by Menard Doswell) are located nearby. The construction of the first stage, which includes an area of app. 10,000 sqm, is expected to start in Q2 2014. The company has already obtained the building permit and chosen the general contractor – DL Project Management, a subsidiary of DL Invest Group. The complex will offer a gross leasable area of 700,000 sqm. “The first stage of the DL Invest Park Psary/Czeladź project is fully leased,” reveals Dominik Leszczyński, the president of the board of DL Invest Group. However, he does not want to disclose any details concerning its new tenants. An office, warehouse and production project is also in the pipeline: DL Invest Park Dąbrowa Górnicza, with an area of 11,800 sqm. The complex is to be built on a 28,800 sqm site near the A4 Kraków–Katowice–Wrocław motorway and it has also been leased out. To whom? The investor has also not disclosed this. The land is currently being prepared for the launch of construction work. The company has also received a building permit for this project. The leasing process of the park is underway, with its opening set for Q4 2014. The company’s next warehouse project is DL Invest Park Siewierz near the sustainable eco-town of Siewierz Jeziorna, which is being developed by Alta, (formerly TUP). A logistics centre with a retail and service area (a restaurant with a hotel and a petrol station) is to be developed over an area of 414,000 sqm. “We are currently looking for a hotel operator to carry out the project with,” says Dominik Leszczyński. The entire project will offer a gross leasable area of 107,000 sqm and is scheduled to open in Q1 2015.

Retail and more
The company is also active on the retail market. After the completion of a retail park in Rydułtowy and Galeria Ruda Śląska, DL Invest Group started the construction of a retail park in Knurów (10,000 sqm), which is currently 75 pct leased. This should open by the end of 2014. The investor also wants to put into operation a retail park in Siemianowice Śląskie (3,200 sqm) at around the same time, which is now 80 pct leased. For these two projects, DL Invest also does not wish to reveal the names of the tenants. The company is also branching out into residential and hotel facilities, which will form part of a larger complex: DL Invest Park Pyrzowice. Design work is in progress on the project, which could involve the construction of service, hotel, recreation and residential space on a 460,800 sqm plot. “The project is at the planning stage, which will help us come up with the most effective concept. Meanwhile, we will decide on how to develop the project further and whether we will be looking for an industry partner,” emphasises the president of the board of DL Invest Group. The construction of the first stage will take three years and should be completed in 2018. All the projects mentioned constitute a serious test for a company that was originally only involved in the purchase of land and property preparation for developers. The group’s plans will also have an impact on the Fenix-Invest real estate fund established by the group in 2007. Its task is to secure the land and prepare the plots in terms of planning, followed by the design, lease and construction of commercial facilities. This has been a year of change for the group. It has been undergoing restructuring and is in the process of changing its name to DL Project Management (a holding and operating company), while its equity has been increased to PLN 100 mln.