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PROJECTS, TRENDS AND STRATEGIES

The Nové Lido urban district aims to rejuvenate the area between Old Bridge and Apollo Bridge in Petržalka – a project with ten years of planning that will expand Bratislava´s city center on the Danube’s right bank. This will build on the area’s historical identity, while also setting new ecological and community standards for Slovakia and CEE. Ongoing BREEAM Communities International certification confirms our commitment to sustainably develop this zone in the heart of the city.

UŠĆE Shopping Center, jointly owned by MPC Properties and Atterbury Europe, has announced its ambitious redevelopment project to elevate the shopping experience. The project, set to revamp the center’s infrastructure and offerings, promises to blend exciting new features with modern amenities, solidifying its position as a hub for leisure, socializing, and shopping.

LATEST TRENDS IN ASSET AND CENTER MANAGEMENT

MEC is significantly expanding the portfolio of commercial sites it operates. The Düsseldorf-based company has now entered into an agreement with the investment consultancy SCP Group to manage eight German commercial sites with a total rental area of approximately 130,000 sq m. With the expansion of its portfolio, MEC now operates nearly 80 commercial sites nationwide, covering over 1.7 million sq m of rental space. 

As of April 01, 2024, Martin Hemetsberger took over the management of the “Real Estate Development” division at real estate developer and operator SES Spar European Shopping Centers at the company’s headquarters in Salzburg. He is responsible for the development and further development of large-scale shopping destinations in six countries. Hemetsberger will report to SES CDO Alexander Eck, who has been in charge of development in addition to his role as a member of the SES Management Board.

Social and geopolitical developments have dominated the placemaking industry in recent years. During these challenging times, important issues, such as location marketing, have been overshadowed by others – and not just in the media. While this may seem understandable at first glance, it has now become clear that companies that have continuously focused on the issues of market positioning and professional location marketing are more fit for the future. ACROSS spoke with Sebastian Guth, Managing Director of 21Media, about what good location campaigns look like, the differences between B2B and B2C campaigns, and why operators who fail to focus on marketing will lose out in the medium term.

DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN THE OUTLET INDUSTRY

FOC Retail Service GmbH operates three outlet locations in Austria and Germany, all of which have incredibly high purchasing power but are small. Managing Director Michael Lungkofler explains the potential of smaller locations, why brands are just as successful here as in prominent locations, and why, despite the excellent performance, the small sizes result from regulatory policy decisions.

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STRATEGIES OF RETAILERS

LATEST TRENDS

As the nostalgic memories of greasy fast food and sticky trays fade away, the death of the old-fashioned food court looms over the culinary landscape. An expert in the world F&B development, Will Odwarka, founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting, states in his newest column: “With the rise of trendy market halls, food halls, and multi-purpose restaurant experiences, traditional food courts are struggling to keep up with the ever-evolving dining scene. But wait a minute, is that really true?”

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY

In a world dominated by online shopping, the role of brick-and-mortar retailers is at a critical turning point. The ACROSS Advisory Board discussion in Cannes shed light on a pressing issue – the need to re-educate consumers about the value of physical shopping experiences. Ben Chesser, CEO of Coniq, shares his view on the matter – a PropTech perspective.

There are a variety of ways that retail companies are cleverly utilizing artificial intelligence, states Marc Giovannini, founder of Omniaz. He highlights use cases, explains the growing interest, and discusses why hyped products like the much-anticipated Apple Vision Pro may be a push toward mass adoption, but are not the breakthrough product the industry is waiting for.

In an age where businesses and consumers get bombarded with digital communications, relevant information must get to people at the right time. Any mall business that sends generic messages to its tenants or shoppers will quickly lose their interest. Digital platforms are fundamental to improving the performance of shopping malls and their tenants.

PLANS OF INVESTORS AND OWNERS

The acquisition signals the return of Multi Corporation to the United Kingdom where it had a significant presence between 2001 and 2021 having developed or managed major retail destinations across the country including the Southgate Centre in Bath, Victoria Square in Belfast, and Glasgow’s St Enoch center. In addition, Multi will also enter Denmark through this investment.

“The money is there but is selective” – There are and will always be investments in retail real estate. Investing in retail real estate is particularly attractive since the industry has come through the crisis faster than other asset classes. In the latest ACROSS Retail Talk, “Euphoria, a new dawn, or more of the same?” sheds light on the investor’s perspective for 2024, a high-caliber panel concluded: There are more opportunities than ever, not only in the CEE-market, but also in so called struggling markets like Germany and Spain.