The most spectacular projects can be seen in Warsaw. "This year, the construction of several large-scale investments on the Warsaw market is to be completed, mostly near the very center of the city. The largest and the most modern office area in the country is being developed in the center, which is becoming more and more attractive in terms of urban planning and business. The standard is being set by Varso Tower, the tallest office tower in the European Union", says Krzysztof Foks, Analyst at Walter Herz.

More towers hit the market

The largest projects in Warsaw completed last year include, among others,140-meter high Mennica Legacy Tower (49 thousand sqm), two skyscrapers in Varso Place I and II complex (46 thousand sqm) and two 130-meter buildings of The Warsaw HUB B and C (88 thousand sqm) by Ghelamco. In January 2021, the occupancy permit was also granted to the 195-meter Skyliner (49 thousand sqm) by Karimpol, and in February the 140-meter high Generation Park Y skyscraper (47 thousand sqm), crowning the office complex, that has been built since 2015 by Skanska at the Daszyńskiego roundabout.

In the upcoming months, they will also be joined by the 202-meter-high (57 thousand sqm) Warsaw Unit skyscraper with a dragon-like façade, built at the corner of Prosta and Pańska Streets by Ghelamco and the revitalized Norblin Factory by Capital Park Group (66 thousand sqm) at Żelazna Street.

"It should be noted that despite the momentum of many projects, the volume of office space under construction in Warsaw is currently the lowest in a decade. This year, the construction of another four office projects is planned to start, with a total of over 110 thousand sqm of space. Ghelamco also revealed a project of the new 174-meter tower The Bridge, which will offer 47 thousand sqm of space", adds Krzysztof Foks.

A record on a European scale

The most spectacular investment under construction in Warsaw is HB Reavis' Varso Tower (70 thousand sqm), which after installing the spire, recently reached its target height of 310 meters and reached the top of the list of the tallest office buildings in the European Union, pushing skyscrapers in London, Frankfurt or Madrid lower on the list. The design of the 53-story high-rise building located near Warsaw Central Railway Station was developed by the Foster + Partners studio. Two observation decks at a height of 205 and 230 meters will be located twice as high as the terrace at the Palace of Culture and Science. A restaurant with a view of Warsaw will also be opened on floors 46 to 48. The construction of the facility is to be completed in 2022.

The second largest investment by HB Reavis in Poland, after Varso Place, is to be completed by the end of this year. Forest office campus (78 thousand sqm) is being built at Burakowska Street near CH Arkadia mall, and will consists of two office buildings, the taller of which will be 120 meters high.

SKYSAWA (40 thousand sqm) is emerging at Świętokrzyska Street, near the ONZ roundabout. The investment of Polski Holding Nieruchomości consists of a lower office building with four to nine above-ground storeys and a 155-meter office tower. The construction of the lower part is to be completed in the third quarter of this year, and the high-rise building a year later. The complex will be connected by a direct underground passage to the metro station.

Yareal Polska is also implementing its flagship project in Warsaw. The mixed-use Lixa complex (65 thousand sqm), which is being erected at the Daszyńskiego roundabout, will include three office buildings. The entire project is to be completed in 2024.

The Tri-City and Cracow with the largest plans

According to Walter Herz data, about 800 thousand sqm of office space is to be delivered this year in the main markets in the country, including 480 thousand sqm of offices in Warsaw,  which is 150 thousand sqm more than last year. In regional cities, over 300 thousand sqm of space is awaiting the beginning of construction.

"Due to the current situation, many developers are postponing construction dates of the new projects. Less office investments will begin this year in the regional cities, where the growth of the business and IT services sector is still visible. Developers focus mainly on locations where demand for offices is still high. Most new projects are waiting to be launched in the Tri-City and Cracow. The construction of investments initiated before the pandemic is continued without major disruptions, and more facilities are being delivered to individual markets" says Mateusz Strzelecki, Partner/Head of Regional Markets at Walter Herz.

In Cracow, the construction of the tallest building in the city was completed at the end of last year. Finishing works and commercialization of the 102.5-meter high Unity Tower and other buildings are underway in the Unity Centre investment, located in the area of Mogilskie roundabout. The new Cracow leader offers the highest observation deck in the city, located on the penultimate floor, which is to be opened in the second half of this year. Unity Centre, the mixed-use business center consists of 5 buildings, including 3 A-class office buildings (46 thousand sqm), Radisson Red hotel with 230 rooms and a luxurious apartment building.

At the junction of Klimeckiego and Nowohucka Streets, in Cracow's Zabłocie district, Cavatina Holding has completed the construction of the first stage of Ocean Office Park investment. The facility with its eye-catching façade resembling the wave shape will be built in four stages. It will offer almost 53 thousand sqm GLA. The extension of the second part of building A is underway and its completion is planned for the second quarter of this year.

Brain Park (43thousand sqm) is also one of the largest office developments in Cracow. The office project by Echo Investment is located at Aleja Pokoju Street, one of the main arteries of the city. The first stage of the investment is to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2022.

Spodek with a tall neighbor

The 133 meter high .KTW II tower, located in the very center of Katowice, has recently reached its target height. The office building located at Aleja W. Roździeńskiego Street has thus become the tallest building in the metropolis of Upper Silesia and Zagłębie. The second tower built by TDJ Estate DJ Estate in the .KTW complex is to welcome tenants at the turn of the first and second quarter of 2022. The 31-storey building will provide 42 thousand sqm of office and retail space. The usable area of the entire investment is over 62 thousand sqm

In the Katowice agglomeration, also Silesia for Business complex is being implemented by TriGranit, whereas Craft project is carried out by Ghelamco. The mixed-use complex Global Office Park (90 thousand sqm) also deserves attention. It is being developed in the center of Katowice by Cavatina Holding. The construction is the first mixed-use complex built on such a large scale in the city. Two 100-meter office towers, seated on a common podium, will provide a total of about 56 thousand sqm of class A space. The gallery layout will include food and retail premises. The third tower will offer 670 apartments.

The completion of Andersia Silver investment announced by the Von der Heyden Group in the first half of 2023, will bring the tallest building in the capital of Wielkopolska region. The 25-storey tower, 117.5 meter high, is being built in the final construction phase of the project at Andersa Square in Poznań. The facility will provide the local market with 40 thousand sqm of space, with predominately office space.

Skanska company is also very active in the city. It plans to commission a 55-meter building D (39 thousand sqm) in Nowy Rynek complex in the second quarter of this year. The project, emerging between Stanisława Matyi, Wierzbięcice, Ks. Jakub Wujka and Przemysłowa Streets, next to Stary Browar, will include five buildings with various functions: office, hotel and residential. The total useable area of the facility is 100 thousand sqm

Łódź’s Piotrkowska Street is even more attractive

The tallest office building in Łódź received an occupancy permit in December last year. The twenty-storey, 82-meter high office tower is part of Hi Piotrkowska 155 complex, which also includes a five-storey office building and Hampton by Hilton hotel. The property, which is located in the heart of the city, at Piotrkowska Street, offers a total of 21 thousand sqm of office space and 5 thousand sqm of retail space.

One of the most interesting projects in Łódź is also Fuzja implemented by Echo Investment. The investment will bring back life to the former Karl Scheibler factory. A part of the city of nearly 8 hectares at Tymienieckiego Street in Łódź, is being revitalized and will be brought back to life with the completion of the first square by Elektrownia this summer. The renovation includes the construction of four apartment buildings, as well as offices with a total area of approximately 40 thousand sqm Historical buildings will include 15 thousand sqm of space for services, shops and restaurants. The new city squares, common spaces and green areas, will occupy almost 4 ha.

Cavatina Holding, on the other hand, is planning revitalization of Widzewska Manufaktura, where a mixed-use complex is to be built, offering offices, apartments for rent, retail premises as well as open spaces for leisure and recreation.

The construction of a mixed-use project has also begun in Gdynia. In the second stage of Gdynia Waterfront (75 thousand sqm) investment by Vastint, office and retail buildings, as well as residential and commercial premises, hotel, conference space and public utility facilities will be built on a plot of several hectares between Hryniewickiego, Washington Streets and Skwer Kościuszki square.

Allcon Group has announced the implementation of a project at the intersection of Kielecka and Droga Gdyńska Streets. About 55 thousand sqm of retail, office and residential space will be built on the area of 2 ha. The dominant residential area will measure about 120 meters.

In the former shipyard area of Młode Miasto district in Gdańsk, at the European Solidarity Center, Euro Styl and Torus are implementing Doki, a mixed-use investment with two office buildings and a total leasable area of 37 thousand sqm

Cavatina Holding is also building another office building in Palio Office Park complex in Gdańsk Shipyard. Eight office buildings will be built in the office and retail complex, which will provide a total of almost 90 thousand sqm of office and leisure space.

Cavatina will soon begin the construction of Quorum complex, in the center of Wrocław, at Sikorskiego Street. The complex will include three office buildings with 80 thousand sqm of space and one residential building. The 140-meter tower that will be built as part of this investment will be the second largest skyscraper in the city. It will be the largest mixed-use project in the city, in close proximity to the boulevards on the Oder river providing leisure and recreation area. Space along the promenade is to include, among others, commercial premises designated for restaurants with sitting area by the water. The investor has a building permit for three buildings.

Echo Investment is also active in the capital of Lower Silesia. At the end of 2020, the company completed the construction of the first stage of the West 4 Business Hub complex (approximately 80 thousand sqm) at Na Ostatni Groszu Street, in which three more stages will be implemented. The investor is also running the MidPoint71 project (37 thousand sqm) in Wrocław at Powstańców Śląskich Street.

Moreover, Skanska company is also constructing Centrum Południe investment at the intersection of Powstańców Śląskich and Szczęśliwa Streets. Ultimately, the complex is to consist of five office buildings with a total leasable area of 85 thousand sqm of which two out of over 27 thousand sqm of space are already completed.