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Development

Outstanding European Placemaking Project recommended by Joanna Fisher, CEO of ECE Marketplaces, and Member of the ACROSS Advisory Board. /// credit: ACROSS

Outstanding European Placemaking Projects: “The Playce” And “Foodgarden” @ Main-Taunus-Zentrum — Two Examples Of Successful Repositioning And Upgrading

Our industry is strong and can achieve a lot. To emphasize this optimistic spirit, we want to showcase what our industry offers. Recommended by Joanna Fisher, CEO of ECE Marketplaces, and Member of the ACROSS Advisory Board, The Playce and Foodgarden at Main-Taunus-Zentrum in Sulzbach, Germany are one of the many outstanding placemaking projects that drive the industry forward.

credit: JTRE

STRONG SALES WILL UNDERLINE OUR CONFIDENCE

The real estate market is truly gaining pace after two years of slowdown. New buildings in Bratislava city center have maintained relatively stable price levels despite interest rate hikes, and the combination of a recovering segment and an exceptional project can present a promising investment opportunity. As investors have historically found, purchasing a new apartment in Bratislava prior toconstruction will reap returns, states Peter Píš, JTRE’s Commercial Director.

Downtown Yards design. /// credit: JTRE

JTRE’s Downtown Yards: Sales Launched And Construction Underway

The gateway to Bratislava’s rapidly expanding downtown has seen outstanding levels of interest: 135 of the 650 residences have already been sold in the pre-sale phase. JTRE’s new Downtown Yards project aims to combine the city’s contemporary cosmopolitan atmosphere with the Nivy area’s tranquil atmosphere. This modern mixed-use ‘sustainable city’ neighbourhood is under construction, and great initial market launch prices for new homes are available right now.

Designer Outlet Kraków forges ahead: open shell to be finished by March

The construction of Designer Outlet Kraków is at an advanced stage, with the building reaching the open shell phase. Located in Kraków’s city center at one of the most popular arteries in the city, Designer Outlet Kraków will benefit from a catchment area of almost 5 million inhabitants and a great tourism potential. The opening is planned for spring 2025.

Designer Outlet Sosnowiec. /// credit: ROS Retail Outlet Shopping

ROS Retail Outlet Shopping’s ‘Trading-up’ strategy gets the Polish market buzzing

Following a customer-centric approach, the ‘Trading-Up’ strategy carried out by ROS Retail Outlet Shopping across its entire portfolio has achieved full potential in 2023. In particular, the Polish centers managed by the operator have registered up to 20 new openings, occupying a total gross lettable area of 3,000 sq m. Expectations in the Polish market are also on the rise with the anticipated center extension of Designer Outlet Gdańsk, which is scheduled to open by the end of 2024.

Left to right: Promenade Mall, Bucharest, Romania; Promenada Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Bonarka City Center Mall, Kraków, Poland; Ploiesti Shopping City, Romania. /// credit: NEPI Rockcastle

NEPI Rockcastle: Ambitious Development And Refurbishment Investment Pipeline

NEPI Rockcastle, Europe’s third-largest listed retail real estate company and the biggest owner and operator of shopping centers across CEE markets by value, is to invest around 600 million Euro in its development and asset refurbishment pipeline to meet strong demand from retailers aiming to tap into the region’s increasingly affluent consumer base.

Food Garden design at Main-Taunus-Zentrum, Sulzbach, Germany. /// credit: ECE Group

Start of construction and 90 percent occupancy rate for new “Food Garden” in the Main-Taunus-Zentrum

Start of construction and strong letting success for the new “Food Garden” in the Main-Taunus-Zentrum: In November, construction work began on the new highlight in the middle of the shopping center – a high-quality and varied range of restaurants with five free-standing restaurant buildings, partly covered and partly open terraces, green outdoor areas and sophisticated architecture. The opening is planned for spring 2025.

Promenada took first place in the category of Investment of the Year: Commercial Space Market. /// credit: ITBC

Redeveloped Promenada awarded the title of Investment of the Year

The jury of the Prime Property Prize competition selected projects with the greatest impact on the commercial property market last year. Promenada, the cutting-edge centre on the right bank of the Vistula River, is proud to be one of them. The mall, owned by G City Europe, took first place in the category of Investment of the Year: Commercial Space Market.

Nikolaus Huter is Managing Director of Huter Invest, the investor of FOC Slovenia ///credit: Huter Invest

Outlet Center development Fashion Outlet Village Slovenia: “We see a high interest from international brands.”

Slovenia’s first Fashion Outlet Village is scheduled to open in 2024/2025. The HG Invest investor group around the Tyrolean company Huter Invest is developing it. Nikolaus Huter, Managing Director of Huter Invest, spoke to ACROSS about the development, the advantages of locations close to the border, and why more and more offline shopping locations should be converted to outlet centers.

Eurovea’s finishing touches before the ribbon cutting

Eurovea will soon become Slovakia’s largest and widest-ranging shopping center, with 320 shops, restaurants, bars, and cafes covering 85,000 sq m. Work is well advanced on the center and surrounding area to complete construction, approvals, and preparations for the grand May opening.

Credit: ECE

ECE MARKETPLACES FURTHER DEVELOPS G3 SHOPPING RESORT GERASDORF NEAR VIENNA, AUSTRIA WITH NEW SPORTS AND OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE WORLD

ECE is further developing the G3 Shopping Resort Gerasdorf near Vienna and is expanding the offer and tenant mix of the center with its more than 130 stores with new retail, product testing, and experience areas. The aim is to create a unique sport and outdoor focus – on a 5,000 sq m indoor sports retail area and a 3,000 sq m outdoor sports area – as an additional attraction for the center.

Credit: Geiger Gruppe

UNION INVESTMENT ACQUIRES REPURPOSED PROPERTY IN NÜRTINGEN, GERMANY

Union Investment has acquired the Nürtinger Tor development project via a forward funding deal. The building in the heart of Nürtingen dates back to 1971. Currently known as the Nanz Center, it is being converted into a mixed-use shopping and amenity center. Completion is scheduled for the second half of 2023.

SRI Association Expands Industry Coalition

The Sustainable Retail Index (SRI) Association, providing comprehensive insights on retailers’ sustainability, is gaining broader industry support.

The Sustainable Retail Index (SRI) Association, launched by URW and Ingka Centres in February 2026, has expanded its industry coalition with Sonae Sierra joining as a General Member and the Polish Council of Shopping Centres (PRCH) becoming a Partner. The additions bring the association’s membership to six organizations, including Ingka Centres, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, WWF France and […]

Frasers Acquires Greaves Sports Brand

UK retail group Frasers Group has acquired the intellectual property of Scottish sports retailer Greaves Sports, according to a statement published by Greaves Sports.

Greaves Sports said its Glasgow flagship store on Gordon Street and online business will continue to operate under the existing brand. Customers were also informed that gift cards and loyalty points remain valid. Neither company disclosed financial details or outlined future plans for the business. The acquisition follows Frasers Group’s continued expansion across the UK […]

EXPO REAL 2026 Introduces Infrastructure as New Focus Area

EXPO REAL is expanding its profile to include investable infrastructure. The event is also further developing its “Transform & Beyond” innovation platform.

EXPO REAL 2026 will expand its profile with the launch of InfrastructureNow, a new forum dedicated to investable infrastructure. The event, taking place in Munich from 5 to 7 October, will bring together the real estate and infrastructure sectors to discuss investment opportunities in energy, digital and social infrastructure, alongside financing models, partnerships and regulatory […]

MK Illumination Renews Partnership with RLI Connect Global

The 14-year long partnership has once again been prolonged.

MK Illumination has renewed its partnership with RLI Connect Global for a fourteenth consecutive year and will once again serve as the event’s Official Networking Lounge Partner at the 2026 edition in Newcastle upon Tyne. Headquartered in Austria, MK Illumination develops lighting and experience concepts for retail, mixed-use, hospitality and public destinations. The company operates […]

German Logistics Rents Remain Largely Stable in H1 2026

Rents remained stable in most parts of Germany, Munich and Hamburg showed a strong momentum.

Rental levels for logistics properties in Germany remained largely stable during the first half of 2026, according to a new market analysis by REALOGIS. Across the 33 logistics markets surveyed, prime rents for new-build logistics space held steady at an average of €7.58/sqm/month, while minimum rents edged up by 0.3% to €6.40/sqm/month. Prime rents for […]

NEPI Rockcastle Expands Karolinka Shopping Center in Poland

NEPI Rockcastle continues portfolio optimization with expansion in Poland.

NEPI Rockcastle is expanding Karolinka Shopping Center in Opole, Poland, with an 11,000 sqm extension that will add 30 new retail units, a new underground parking garage and a modernized façade. Construction is scheduled to begin later this autumn following the approval of building permits. The project will increase the center’s gross leasable area to […]

ECE Reports Strong Leasing Performance in H1 2026

ECE shopping centers report positive leasing results.

ECE signed approximately 1,250 lease contracts covering more than 350,000 sqm across its managed shopping center portfolio during the first half of 2026. In Germany alone, the company concluded around 850 lease agreements for more than 250,000 sqm of retail space. According to ECE, leasing activity was driven by continued expansion from established retail partners […]

Romania’s Retail Sector Drives Investment Activity in Q2

Despite a complex macroeconomic and political landscape, the fundamentals of the Romanian retail market remain solid. This is reaffirmed by sustained developer appetite, the continued expansion of international brands, and the resilience of domestic consumption.

Romania’s real estate investment market recorded a transaction volume of €253 million in H1 2026, according to CBRE Romania. While overall investment declined 35% year on year, retail emerged as the dominant asset class in the second quarter, accounting for around 80% of the €102 million invested during the period. CBRE expects a strong recovery […]

Waitrose arrives in Redevco’s Chelmer Village, UK

The letting underlines momentum across Redevco’s £518m UK retail park portfolio, which is now 96% let.

Redevco’s Chelmer Village Retail Park in Chelmsford has been selected for Waitrose’s newest store, marking a significant milestone for both Waitrose and the scheme’s owner, Redevco and taking the park to fully let. The new store is Waitrose’s latest, comprising approximately 10,055 sq ft, including a 7,000 sq ft sales area, alongside two dedicated trolley […]

Vukile Enters Italian Retail Real Estate Market

Vukile Property Fund, has entered the Italian market, acquiring an inaugural €115m portfolio of three shopping centers. It has established Esperia Properties as its new Italian holding company.

Vouth African retail real estate investor Vukile Property Fund has entered the Italian market with the acquisition of three shopping centers for €115 million, establishing Esperia Properties as its new investment platform for future growth in the country. The portfolio comprises Le Due Valli in Turin, Le Centurie in Padua and Quarto Nuovo in Naples. […]

AFI Completes €282M Acquisition of Six Romanian Retail Parks

AFI has finalized the €282 million purchase of six retail parks from MAS in Romania, forming the seven-asset AFI Value Park network with over 155,000 sqm of GLA.

AFI has completed the €282 million acquisition of six retail parks in Romania from MAS, marking the largest retail park transaction in the country’s history. The properties in Baia Mare, Bârlad, Ploiești, Roman, Sfântu Gheorghe, and Zalău will now operate under the newly launched AFI Value Park brand, joining AFI Value Park Arad, which opened […]

IPH: 47,000 m² leased in H1 2026

IPH Group leased a total of 47,000 square meters of retail space through new leases and renewals in the first half of 2026.

A total of 154 lease agreements were signed, roughly 60 percent of which were renewals. That marks a 26 percent increase in lease agreements compared to the first half of 2025. “The leasing market is proving considerably more stable than it was just a few years ago, despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty in Germany. At the […]

Rabanne appoints Olivier Rousteing as Creative Director

Rabanne announces the appointment of Olivier Rousteing as Creative Director, marking a significant new step in the Maison’s evolution.

Rooted in the pioneering vision of Paco Rabanne and strengthened by the Maison’s continued expansion across fashion and beauty, Olivier Rousteing’s arrival opens a new phase of creative development. Under his creative direction, Rabanne will continue to expand its universe, reinforcing the dialogue between fashion, beauty and innovation while remaining true to its spirit of […]

Retail drives Poland’s property investment market in H1 2026

Poland’s H1 2026 investment market hit €3bn across 66 deals, the strongest in a decade. Retail led with 34% share, driven by major portfolio transactions including Posnania, Vendo Parks, and Auchan/Ceetrus deals.

By Paulina Brzeszkiewicz-Kuczyńska, Research and Data Manager at Avison Young The beginning of 2026 was highly encouraging, with H1 transaction volume aligning with the highest levels recorded in Poland in the past decade, with a total investment volume of €3 billion across 66 transactions. Each of the market sectors recorded deals exceeding €100 million, while […]

Cut & Craft opens expanded space at Victoria Leeds

Victoria Leeds, the lifestyle destination owned and operated by Redical, announced that British premium steak restaurant, The Cut & Craft, completed the £1.5m expansion of its Leeds restaurant.

Leeds///UK – Located in Victoria Quarter, the historic district of Victoria Leeds, The Cut & Craft now spans 12,375 sq ft and includes the addition of two private dining rooms on the first floor, a new luxurious bar area, alongside a dedicated stage on the ground floor to cater to late-evening entertainment and live music. The reinvestment […]

Retail transformation by Rituals: 30 working days, 1500 renewed boutiques

Rituals Cosmetics will start one of Europe’s largest retail transformations in August, renewing 1,500 boutiques across 30 countries with an investment of €40 million.

Unique to this operation is the combination of scale and speed: instead of renewing the boutique concept in phases over several years, Rituals will elevate 1,500 boutiques in just 30 working days. The transformation coincides with the introduction of many new collections, which require a spacious, more premium presentation with furniture that reflects the renewed […]

Frasers Plus Braehead’s major investment momentum continues

Frasers Plus Braehead is entering a new phase of investment-led growth, with significant new leisure operators, major retailer refurbishment and continued enhancement activity reinforcing its position as one of Scotland’s leading retail and leisure destinations.

The momentum is anchored by the forthcoming arrival of international leisure operator SuperPark, set to open this Summer. The highly anticipated experiential attraction marks one of the destination’s most significant leisure investments in recent years and reflects the continued evolution of its family-focused and experience-led offer. The opening forms part of a wider program of […]

Westfield Černý Most expands brand mix with wave of new openings

Prague’s Westfield Černý Most welcomes Douglas, Cropp, HEAVY TOOLS, YOYOSO, Fielmann, Bliss Flowers and Miramira as retail line-up continues to grow.

Westfield Černý Most in Prague has added several new brands to its tenant mix over the past few months, with Douglas, Cropp, HEAVY TOOLS, YOYOSO, Fielmann and Bliss Flowers opening stores at the centre, and Miramira joining most recently, according to operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW). Among the openings, Douglas has introduced its newest store concept at […]

Rethinking growth strategy: PUMA’s transformation

PUMA reshapes its leadership and business units for 2026, here’s what the numbers say about its reset strategy so far.

By Dora Pusztai The last few years riddled with economic hardships have been inevitably challenging for the retail sector as well. Such a climate pushes brands to revise their existing strategies or explore new directions, starting from scratch. The sports company PUMA has experienced their fair share of economic challenges in recent years, and therefore […]

lululemon in Europe: First opening in Bucharest, Vienna is next

lululemon has officially entered Romania through its franchise partnership with Arion Retail Group, marking the company’s fourth new market entry in 2026, with the opening of first Viennese store scheduled for this summer.

Located at Băneasa Shopping City, one of Bucharest’s leading retail and lifestyle destinations, the new store in Romania introduces local guests to the brand’s innovative athletic and lifestyle products. Opening day on June 5 featured a high-energy in-store experience, including a live DJ, gifting activations, and local brand partnerships. By mid-June 2026, there will be […]

Nhood provides Specialty Leasing for ten shopping centers owned by Focus Estate Fund

The one-year agreement, signed on 5 June, covers the temporary letting of retail spaces and outdoor areas at properties across Poland.

The Nhood team in Poland continues to consistently expand its unique Specialty Leasing service portfolio for retail property owners, setting itself apart in the Polish market. In line with its international strategy, the company offers clients expert services based on an in-depth analysis of each location and its surroundings, and develops solutions that help property […]

PUMA appoints new Vice President BU Core

Sports company PUMA has appointed experienced industry leader Marcia Dos Santos as Vice President BU Core, effective 15 July.

Marcia has more than 20 years of experience in the sports industry and joins PUMA from Nike, where she most recently served as Vice President Merchandising Women’s EMEA. In this newly created role, she will report directly to Chief Brand Officer Maria Valdes. “Throughout her career, Marcia has delivered strong commercial results across regions and product […]

Neil Slater steps down as CEO of Redevco

Neil Slater to step down after leading Redevco since 2023.

COFRA Holding AG today announced that Neil Slater will step down as Chief Executive Officer of Redevco, COFRA’s real estate business, to take up the role of CEO at Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Link REIT), one of Asia’s largest real estate investment trusts. Neil’s departure from Redevco will take effect on 31 January 2027. […]

Premium fashion retailer Belstaff joins Designer Outlet Leeds

Global Mutual, asset manager of Frasers Plus Designer Outlet Leeds, has secured Belstaff as the latest premium retailer to join the destination, further strengthening its fashion line-up and marking another strategic letting as it continues to enhance the centre’s brand mix.

One of Britain’s most recognizable heritage fashion brands, Belstaff has opened with a curated selection of its signature jackets, apparel and accessories, bringing its distinctive premium offering to shoppers across Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region. The latest letting reflects the continued appeal of Frasers Plus Designer Outlet Leeds to premium retailers and reinforces the […]