Higher construction costs and the unfavourable economic situation in Europe are impacting the future development of new offices in the region, especially in capital cities like Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and Bucharest.

Studio A - Skanska’s latest investment in Warsaw - will contribute 26,600 sqm of office space to the local office market. The building is scheduled to be commissioned in 2025.

Cushman & Wakefield has summarized the third quarter of 2023 on the Polish office market. Office development activity continues to slow down both in Warsaw and in Poland’s regional city markets. Nominal leasing activity remains high in the largest regional cities, with Warsaw reporting a record number of leases.

Romanian developer One United Properties has signed a deal with German semiconductors maker Infineon Technologies for the development of a prime office building in northern Bucharest.  

The average office transaction in the first nine months of 2023 stood at 1,810 sqm, which is the highest average of the past four years and close to the level of 1,900 sqm recorded in 2019, according to Cushman & Wakefield data.

From January to the end of September 2023, the total demand for modern office space in Warsaw amounted to nearly 0.5 million sqm. Tenants often choose two contract options, i.e., they relocate to a new space or decide to renegotiate existing terms. The vacancy rate is decreasing, standing at 10.6% at the end of September 2023. On the supply side, developers delivered just over 20,000 sqm to the capital's office market in January-September 2023, indicating a supply gap period in Warsaw. Nevertheless, more than 240,000 sqm is under construction, most of which will be completed by the end of 2025, says Axi Immo. 

According to the newest report by Newmark Polska, in the third quarter of 2023, office take-up in Poland’s regional city office markets reached nearly 200,000 sqm, while the development pipeline was below 400,000 sqm. High vacancy rates in existing office buildings mean that tenants have a wide choice of options. Both developers and tenants remain focused on ESG, functionality, flexibility and optimisation of office usage and lease costs.

Cushman & Wakefield has released a summary of office market conditions in Warsaw. This year’s development activity is expected to fall to its lowest in nearly 25 years amid a record number of leases, falling vacancy rates and the continued upward pressure on rental growth. 

KREO, Ghelamco’s newest project in Kraków, has received an occupancy permit. More than 24,000 sqm of office space awaits tenants.

Q3 2023 did not bring much positive news from the Prague office market. Since Q2 2022, no office buildings have been launched on the Prague real estate market and the future does not look promising either, according to the latest analysis by Prague Research Forum.