The Warsaw office market maintains its strong momentum. This year’s total supply is expected to surpass 300,000 sqm, office take-up rose in the first three quarters of 2017 by 11.2% compared with the same period of 2016 and the vacancy rate is falling, shows the latest report by tenant-only advisory firm Cresa. The growth of the SSC/BPO sector and potential Brexit are likely to drive the Warsaw market going forward.

OTP Property Investment Fund has acquired the BSR Center office building in Budapest from a fund managed by GLL Real Estate Partners.

The Openville Timişoara development, the largest mixed-use project in the west of Romania will be opened in the fourth quarter of next year, upon completion of the first phase of development. The project that integrates the current Iulius Mall Timişoara will comprise office, retail, park and entertainment uses, and is developed by the IULIUS and Atterbury Europe companies.

Turkish real estate developer Anchor Grup will invest €9.5 million in the Pallady Towers residential project.

The outlook for Central and Eastern European markets is still positive according to the RICS Commercial Property Monitor. Results for Q3 2017 show that both occupier and investment demand are still on the rise across the region. The peak of the current cycle is, however, undoubtedly getting closer.

Noerr has advised IDI Gazeley on the sale of its European division. In October Global Logistic Properties (GLP), Asia’s biggest warehouse operator, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Gazeley, a premier developer, owner and operator of modern logistics facilities in Europe for approximately €2.4 billion.

Although demand slightly decreased on the Prague office market in Q3 2017, the vacancy rate further declined to its current level of 7.7%, JLL reports.

Panattoni Europe has completed stage one in the construction of a distribution centre for Castorama Polska. The developer has delivered 50,000 sqm out of 100,000 planned. One of the largest investments in Poland is going up in Stryków and it will provide logistics support which will enable the leading DIY/home improvement chain in Poland to go further towards fulfilling its fundamental commitment to customers – to provide them with the best possible product availability at attractive prices. The official opening of this section of the facility took place on 16 November 2017.

Atenor announced the forward sale of the fourth building on the Váci Greens complex in Budapest to a Hungarian private fund. Building D comprises 14,145 sqm of office space, 1,502 sqm of commercial units and underground parking for 260 vehicles. Scheduled for completion by the beginning of 2018, the building is already partially (25%) leased to Unilever and to retail traders. The purchase price is estimated to be around €44 million.

Soaring rents have seen London’s New Bond Street rise to become the world’s third most expensive retail street, while New York’s Upper 5th Avenue and Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay retain their first and second place rankings, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Prague’s Na Příkopě Street has improved its position from last year’s 23rd to the current 22nd in a chart of the 68 most expensive high streets.