Founded almost 25 years ago by owners and managers of the former TriGranit Group, Granit Polus recently announced its intention to launch a major mixed-used development in the centre of Budapest. Owner Sándor Demján and CEO Gyula Ágházi shared the company’s new strategy with Property Forum.

Skanska has sold phase I of Nowy Rynek, an office building within a mixed-use project in Poznań, Poland, for €73 million. The buyer is confidential. The transaction will be recorded by Skanska Commercial Development Europe in the fourth quarter 2017. The transfer of the property is scheduled for the second quarter 2019.

JLL has advised Elbit Imaging Ltd, a NASDAQ listed company, on the sale of the Radisson hospitality complex in Bucharest to a joint venture between two international investment funds. The sale represents the largest ever hotel transaction by deal volume in Romania and among the largest recorded in Central Eastern Europe.

Ghelamco has finalised the sale of Przystanek mBank, a build-to-suit office complex in the New Center of Łódź. The transaction led by companies from the Ghelamco Group included a long-term investor LCN Capital Partners and mBank. The value of the transaction is approximately €60 million.

Czech online retail giant Alza has leased a 22,000 sqm warehouse at P3 Prague D8 park as increasing sales volumes put pressure on its existing logistics centres around Prague in the Holešovice District and at P3 Prague Horní Počernice park. Alza will move into the specially adapted facility – which will feature a mezzanine storage system that has the capacity to almost quadruple the total floorspace – in January (2018). Both of Alza's existing logistics centres are equipped with technology to ensure that the company can meet its delivery time promises – particularly useful during the hectic pre-Christmas season.

The total warehouse and industrial stock in Poland has surpassed the 13 million sqm mark. In the period from January to September 2017, new supply totalled more than 1.6 million sqm and occupier activity remained healthy. A new report by Cresa describes the current situation as a golden age for the Polish industrial market.

In 2017, Green Caffe Nero, TK Maxx, Dla Spania, KappAhl, Newbie, Home&Deco, Good Label, T-Mobile and Forever 21 opened twelve new stores across Poland totalling more than 9,800 sqm of floorspace. Each project was delivered by the Retail Agency team of Cushman & Wakefield.

Immofinanz refinanced approximately €1.6 billion of financial liabilities during the 2017 financial year. This volume represents roughly 60% of the group’s financial liabilities as of 30 September 2017 and covers extensions as well as new borrowings. The transactions will reduce future interest expense by roughly €18.3 million per year.

Panattoni Europe is building Panattoni Park Zielona Góra – a modern multi-tenant distribution centre, planned for 75,000 sqm. At present, nearly 50,000 sqm, in three buildings, are under development. The space has been leased by both manufacturing companies and logistics businesses, which will be able to move into the park in early 2018.

AFI Europe Romania has signed a financing agreement for €22 million with Bank Leumi Romania for the development of phase 1 of AFI Tech Park, the newest business park the company is currently developing in Bucharest.