2016 saw the highest developer activity in the history of the Polish office market. New supply is expected to remain strong in 2017 with 1.4 million sqm of new space currently under development. JLL published its preliminary summary of Poland's office market performance in 2016

American investor Exeter Property Group has finalized its acquisition of the North-West Logistic Park warehouse and production complex in Szczecin, Poland from Waimea Holding. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed. 

According to JLL’s review of last year, the Czech industrial market has exceeded the 6 million sqm mark in 2016 which makes it – along with the Polish one – one of the most advanced markets in CEE. 2016 gross-take up on the Czech industrial market totalled 1.2 million sqm which makes it one of the best years on record after the similarly successful years such of 2014 and 2015. Due to strong constant demand, the national average vacancy rate declined to 4%, which is the decade´s low and one of the lowest indicators in the market history. 

Aviva Investors and LaSalle Investment Management have acquired River Garden II & III in Prague, on behalf of the Pan-European Fund Encore+ for €84 million. River Garden II & III, developed by HB Reavis is Class A office building with ground floor retail, located in the Karlin district of Prague. This is the first acquisition that Encore+ has made in the Czech Republic.

JLL has been selected by the new owner of Swan Office & Technology Park as property and asset manager of the office building located in the Northern part of Bucharest. JLL's responsibilities comprise maintaining relations with tenants and extensive operational management services including overseeing subcontractors and maintenance costs.

According to JLL’s preliminary forecasts, the total volume of real estate deals on the Polish investment market in 2016 may amount to almost €4.4 billion. The real standout performer was the retail market which came in with nearly €2 billion, followed by the office segment with €1.7 billion and the industrial/logistics sector with nearly €0.5 billion.

Located at 111 Marszałkowska Street in Warsaw, the Saski Point office building has received the BREEAM In-Use International certificate with a “Very Good” rating in Building Management and Asset Performance. Cushman & Wakefield property manages the facility on behalf of CA IMMO. 

Prologis has announced that Prologis European Properties Fund II (PEPFII) has acquired M0 Central Business Park in Hungary from IDI Gazeley. Two newly acquired, 100 percent let, facilities totalling 31,443 square metres will become part of the adjoining 98-percent let Prologis Park Budapest-Sziget, which currently comprises seven buildings totalling 150,000 square metres.

The Budapest office of CBRE has been appointed property manager and leasing agent of M7 Real Estate’s new Hungarian property portfolio. M7 Real Estate has acquired two retail centres, the Atom Center in Paks and Csillagvár in Budapest, and the Acélforma industrial hall in Dunaharaszti. The British investor has commissioned CBRE with the management and leasing of almost 22,000 sqm of GLA.

GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, has completed the purchase of P3, one of the leading pan-European owners, developers and managers of logistics properties, from TPG Real Estate and Ivanhoé Cambridge. The deal, which values the business at €2.4 billion, was first announced in November 2016, but had to be approved by EU regulators before it could be finalised. It is one of the largest European real estate transactions of 2016.