ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG Poznan

Benson Elliot, the UK-based private equity real estate fund manager, on behalf of its pan- European fund, Benson Elliot Real Estate Partners IV L.P. (BEREP IV) has acquired four grade A office buildings in key Polish regional markets. The properties, secured in separate off-market transactions with four different vendors, follow the fund’s acquisition of the 350-room Warsaw Sheraton Hotel in October 2015.

At the beginning of this month the owner of Kupiec Poznański has signed an agreement to modernise the office part of the building. The scope of works includes a creation of reception area dedicated to office space that will be independent from the shopping centre part. Moreover new modern lifts will be introduced and common areas on the office floors will be rearranged according to design project provided by Kostka&Kurka architectural studio. The concept and scope of changes have been prepared by BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland who is the exclusive leasing agent of the building and its property manager. The works are scheduled to finish in February 2018.

A scheme from the portfolio of IKEA Centres Polska S.A. will for the first time be managed externally. Centrum Franowo, completed within 15 months and delivered to the market at the end of September this year, comprises 15 000 sqm GLA, out of which 7 500 sqm on level 0 is dedicated to retail and services, while the remaining 7 500 sqm on level +1 will be used for offices.

Skanska has launched the construction works of the Nowy Rynek office project in Poznan, Poland, A new city quarter, together with a market located in a complex of multi-functional buildings, will be developed on an area of 3.8 ha on the crossroads of Matyi and Wierzbięcice Streets. Furthermore, it will constitute one of the biggest urban enterprises in the history of Poznan as well as being Skanska's most complex developer project to date in Poland. During the first phase of construction works, the company will develop an office building offering 25,000 sqm of modern space. The first phase is expected to be delivered in Q2 2019.

Apsys has secured the long-term refinancing of Posnania, its flagship project in Poznan, with Berlin Hyp AG, ING Bank Śląski S.A., Société Générale and Deutsche Postbank AG. This refinancing amounting to €260 million in total is one of the largest ever granted in commercial real estate in Central Europe. The project's initial financing during the development phase in 2014 already set a record in this area. 

Knight Frank will manage the Maraton office building in Poznan. Union Investment, the property owner, entrusted the company with the management of a building with a total GLA of more than 26,000 sqm.

Over time, some office locations enhance their position in the eyes of tenants while others – lose popularity. The reason for this change usually results from communication infrastructure as its development can create new business regions. JLL has taken a closer look at tenants’ preferences regarding office locations on major Polish markets based on concluded lease agreements. The company focused solely on new deals – excluding renewals of already existing contracts and expansions – signed in Warsaw (in 2012 and 2016), and Kraków, Wrocław, Tri-City, Katowice, Poznań and Łódź (in 2011 and 2016).

P3 has celebrated the raising of the last pillar of a new, 31,904 sqm warehouse at P3 Poznań park in Poland’s rapidly developing Gądki logistics area. One-third of the building - 10,000 sqm - will be occupied by British American Tobacco Polska. The BAT space, which will be commissioned in August 2017, is being designed to meet the company’s specific needs. The remaining space is being built on speculative basis.

Skanska has sold Maraton, an office building located in Poznan, Poland, for €62 million. The property has been acquired by a real estate fund managed by Union Investment. It is the second sales transaction between Skanska and Union Investment in the Polish regional markets. The first sale between the two companies was Dominikanski in Wroclaw. Maraton is Skanska's second office project in Poznan following Malta House.

After 2015's record-breaking performance, when demand totalled 64,900 sqm, 2016 closed with a very good result – office lease agreements for 64,100 sqm were signed in Poznań. An interesting trend in 2016 was the increased share of pre-let agreements in overall demand - much higher than in previous years. Also, more companies have decided to expand their office space, illustrating how buoyant the market is. JLL summarised 2016 on Poznań's office market.