News

Asset growth for MLP Group

POLAND The built and leased warehouse area owned by MLP Group increased to 345,900 sqm over the first six months of this year. In this period the company an area of 44,200 sqm was added to its portfolio.

Interior design

Face-lift for Ryłko in Focus Mall

POLAND A renovated Ryłko footwear store has been re-opened in Focus Mall Zielona Góra. As a result of the renovations its sales hall has been extended at the cost of its backroom.

Retail & leisure

Devred 1902 enters Polish market

POLAND French men’s clothing and footwear brand Devred 1902 is opening its first store in Poland. It has chosen the Wola Park shopping centre in Warsaw to be the location of its first opening.

Retail & leisure

Bricomarché extends cooperation with Echo

POLAND A Bricomarché DIY store is to form part of the Echo shopping centre in Przemyśl. In November the tenant, which belongs to the Grupa Muszkieterów group, is to take over a 4,000 sqm unit from Nomi.

Investment & finance

Złota 44 sold to BBI and Amstar for EUR 63 mln

POLAND Orco Property Group has sold the Złota 44 residential skyscraper project in central Warsaw to a joint venture between Polish developer BBI Development and Denver-based investment manager Amstar for EUR 63 mln.

Call for the Eurobuild Awards 2014 jury members

Investment & finance

ING and Nordea provide EUR 174 mln for Blackstone

POLAND/CZECH REPUBLIC ING Bank Śląski has acted as the lead arranger for a EUR 174 mln term loan for LogiCor, Blackstone’s European logistics platform, to finance its recent acquisition of a logistics portfolio from Pramerica Real Estate Investors.

Redan increases turnover but suffers losses

POLAND The turnover of retail group Redan, the owner of the Top Secret, Troll and Drywash brands as well as the TextilMarket discount chain, amounted to PLN 226.2 mln in the first six months of the year, a 7.3 pct y-o-y increase.

Construction

General contractors for Staffa 9 and Kolska od Nowa

POLAND Belgian developer Matexi Polska has chosen general contractors for two Warsaw residential projects: Staffa 9 and Kolska od Nowa.

Lower vacancy in Wrocław – for now

POLAND According to the ‘Office Market in Wrocław Q2 2014’ report prepared by Knight Frank, the vacancy rate on the Wrocław office market in Q2 averaged 9.9 pct, falling from the 12.8 pct registered in the previous quarter. It was also the best figure in the last five quarters.

Higher profits for Robyg

POLAND Residential developer Grupa Robyg generated a net profit of PLN 21.6 mln in the first half of the year, up from the PLN 15.2 mln recorded in the same period last year.

Researchers develop crack-detecting “skin” for concrete structures

UNITED STATES/ FINLAND Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Eastern Finland have come up with an innovative technology that helps to monitor concrete structures and quickly respond to any damages as they occur, boosting construction safety and reducing fallout from the cracks.

Investment & finance

Papag wins Praktiker acquisition approval

POLAND Swiss investor Papag has obtained the approval of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKIK) for its acquisition of Praktiker Polska and Praktiker Real Estate Polska (originally reported in this publication in March).

Investment & finance

Eleven new Monnari outlets by the year-end

POLAND Clothing retailer Monnari Trade, the owner of the Monnari brand, is planning to open eleven stores in shopping centres in some of the largest cities in Poland in H2 2014.

Investment & finance

Green light to buy Matras

POLAND Nowe Powierzchnie has been given permission from the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) to acquire the Matras bookstore chain from the SEAF group.

Marvipol to buy Warsaw plots

POLAND Marvipol has issued 20,650 ordinary unsecured bonds with a value of PLN 20.65 mln. The money will be used to purchase land for residential development in Warsaw.

Architecture and urban planning

Cud nad Wisłą according to 81.WAW.PL

POLAND The Cud nad Wisłą club in Warsaw has been redesigned according to a concept drawn up by the architects of the 81.WAW.PL studio.

Office & mixed-use development

Siemens opens 3,000 sqm technology hub in Cluj

ROMANIA Siemens has leased out an entire, 3,000 sqm building in the Liberty Technology Park Cluj office complex in Cluj-Napoca, to launch a R&D centre for its IT subsidiary, Evosoft. The new offices will ultimately house over 200 engineers involved in the software development across all Siemens units.

Investment & finance

EBRD grants EUR 30 mln loan to redevelop Croatian marinas

CROATIA The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has arranged a EUR 30 mln loan for a Turkish developer to renovate two Croatian marinas and help increase nautical tourism in the country.

Accor Group sees “very positive performance” across CEE

EUROPE In the first half of the year, French hotel operator Accor has seen a 2.8 pct y-o-y increase in like-for-like revenues as its total revenues hit EUR 2.5 bln. Meanwhile, like-for-like gains in the Northern, Central and Eastern Europe region (NCEE) alone went up 3.2 pct.