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Santander Consumer Bank leases office space in Business Garden

20 | 12 | 2018



Vastint Poland has signed a lease agreement with Santander Consumer Bank. The company will occupy over 10,000 m2 in one of the buildings in Business Garden Wroclaw, currently being built on Legnicka Street. The complex met the customer’s expectations for its new office, which combines a convenient location with ecological solutions, as well as modern facilities for employees.

Business Garden is an innovative office complex. It is situated on Legnicka Street, in the vicinity of the Magnolia shopping centre and Mikołajów train station in Wrocław. Ultimately, the project envisages the construction of 9 buildings, offering a total of 117,000 m2 of modern office and commercial space spread over an area of 7 hectares. The space between the buildings was designed as a large garden, with relaxation and working zones, where tenants can rest and play sports in the open air. Apart from the restaurant pavilion, located in the garden area, there are a number of additional amenities tenants planned in the future such as a medical center and kindergarten.

Business Garden holds the LEED Platinum Certificate and it is equipped with an intelligent building management system, water-energy saving systems, cycling infrastructure and a wide range of amenities for tenants. At the heart of the building, there is a huge garden that opens into the interior, available for all office employees and city residents.

Students’ campaign will promote Business Garden Poznan

18 | 12 | 2018



Vastint Poland established a cooperation with Collegium Da Vinci in Poznan. Second-year graphic design students were invited to participate in the project. They were assigned the task to create promotional material for Business Garden Poznan in two categories: animation and applied graphic arts. The winners of the competition were awarded scholarships and the best work will be used in the marketing communication of the business park.

Magda Makuch, Leasing Manager, says: “Vastint – the developer of the largest office project in Poznan – established the cooperation with the local college for two reasons. On the one hand, the occupants of office spaces in Business Garden Poznan are mostly young people and we wanted to communicate with them using their language and paying attention to the values which are important for them. On the other hand, we had an opportunity to support young graphic design students from Poznan as part of our corporate social responsibility activities. For the students of Collegium Da Vinci it was a great opportunity to test their skills in a real business project. The experience gained will help them to enter the job market after graduation.”

Anna Szymankiewicz, the Rector’s Plenipotentiary for cooperation with business, Collegium Da Vinci, says, “This is an interesting and mutually beneficial way to cooperate with the business world. We are happy to cooperate with companies, because we want our students to use the knowledge and skills gained at the university in the real world of business as soon as possible. Our students have once again proved that they are very talented, ambitious and inventive, and the university can be proud of them.”

Business Garden Poznan, located in the Grunwald district of Poznan, combines modern office spaces with amenities. A unique feature of the project is the fact that the office buildings are surrounded by a large garden with work and leisure zones and sports infrastructure. The complex has been awarded a LEED Platinum certificate which confirms the environmentally friendly nature of the project.

In the first quarter of 2019 the second phase of the project will be commissioned – five office buildingswith a leasable area of 46,000 m2.

Vastint Hospitality’s Havannah House in Glasgow awarded ANUK membership

17 | 12 | 2018

ANUK, Accreditation Network UK  inspected Havannah House for an audit inspection. They have reported the inspection was extremely positive in all areas with no action points whatsoever identified. ANUK is the rating agency for the National Code for standards for suppliers of rented housing and covers matters such as condition, management and landlord and tenant relationships.

Vastint UK gains planning consent for Leeds

17 | 12 | 2018
Today Vastint UK gained outline planning permission for the first phase of Brewery Site Leeds. This project makes a significant contribution to a new city park for Leeds which, working with the Leeds City Council, will ultimately connect the River Aire to the education quarter. Vastint UK will now begin the task of delivering an important element of the wider South Bank regeneration vision. The first phase is 6.6 hectares and sits between Crown Point Road to the south, Waterloo Street to the north and Meadow Lane to the east, with The Tetley Building at its centre. Gaining planning permission is an important step in the development process. The team presented initial proposals in 2016 which were shaped by detailed consultations with stakeholders including Leeds Planning Department, local residents and businesses. When the City Plans Panel reviewed the scheme in October 2017, councilllors were extremely positive in their comments about the scheme. Councillor James McKenna, chairman of the panel, told the meeting the application was one of “the most exciting I can remember”. He said: “It is a very, very big application. It is going to bring credit to the city and put us on the map.” Councillor Elizabeth Nash said: “We are all delighted with the application. It has taken a long time to discuss because it is such a large and important project.” Councillor Neil Walshaw, who also sits on the plans panel, said: “I think for an outline application there is quite a lot of substance here. I think that is down to the enormous level of discussions we had at pre-application stage. This is so important for the city.” 2018 has seen the team negotiate the specific details of the permission with Leeds City Council, as well as undertaking comprehensive traffic modelling to satisfy Highways England. The team has also been progressing the next stages of design of the first buildings and the landscaping of the park that will be submitted for approval in 2019 before construction starts in 2020. Andrew Cobden, Vastint UK Services’ Managing Director said: “The shared vision for the South Bank is to transform a former industrial site into an exciting new part of Leeds city centre. Our 8.5-hectare holding sits at the heart of the South Bank regeneration area, and we are committed to working in partnership with the city council and other partners to deliver a much-needed city park for everyone. “We aim to create a truly mixed-use development with great places to work, live and visit. We hope it will be seen as a great asset to the city when we’ve finished; a popular hub of activity and life set around a generously-sized park which helps to reconnect vibrant areas of the city centre. “Today we have received the mandate to start work on the first 6.6-hectres, and we now look forward to working up the detailed designs of the buildings and the park, key elements of this exciting new Leeds neighbourhood.” Key figures for the proposed phase 1 site:
  • Covers 6.6 ha of land
  • There will be a minimum of 2 hectares (over 5 acres) of urban park
  • Up to 850 homes; 5% of which will be for affordable housing, in line with LCC’s policy
  • Up to 85,000m2 of employment space, including spaces for creative industries
  • Up to 15,000m2 of active uses including retail, (A1-5), cultural, educational, leisure or health (C2, D1, D2)
  • 2 hotels, up to 400 rooms and ancillary facilities
Vastint UK will bring forward an outline planning application for the land south of Crown Point Road later in 2019. More about the project The design proposes a vibrant, mixed-use, park-side neighbourhood at the heart of the South Bank in Leeds City Centre with a generously-sized urban park at its heart. The aim of the scheme is to support the expansion of the city core, providing a vital link connecting the city centre with the Tetley and its creative neighbours, through to the education district and to the communities to the south. A major inspiration for the design was Leeds City Council’s vision to inject new life into this part of the city centre, with particular emphasis on a new park as the catalyst for transforming the area, as detailed in the “South Bank Planning Statement” (2011) and, more recently, in the “South Bank Leeds Regeneration Framework ” (2018). For more information, see www.brewerysiteleeds.com.

Building permit granted for the first two office buildings at Magdelēnas kvartāls

13 | 12 | 2018
On December 6th, Vastint Latvia received the building permit for the first two office buildings at Magdelēnas kvartāls — at Antonijas iela 17 and Antonijas iela 21. These six-floor office buildings will offer 9,600 m2 of modern office space and 1,500 m2 of commercial space on their ground floors. The author of the design and winner of the architectural tender is the architectural office OUTOFBOX – Pēteris Bajārs, Guna Priede, Jānis Aufmanis, Arta Lāce and Luīze Elizabete Rukšāne. According to regulations, once the building permit is granted, the construction design process may start, and once the construction design has been approved by all concerned authorities, the construction work may begin. Magdelēnas kvartāls will have 300 apartments available for sale and rent, 16,500 m2 of office space, and 3,000m2 of commercial spaces and workshops. A place for a fulfilled life!

Find out more at Vastint Latvia website

Vastint Netherlands sells Rivierstaete to international investor

10 | 12 | 2018

Vastint Netherlands is selling Rivierstaete – an office complex at Amsteldijk 166 – to a foreign institutional fund managed by Rubens Capital Partners. The complex has a total floor area of approx. 30,000 m2 and 330 parking spaces. The building has recently been completely renovated. This transaction is the largest single asset deal in 2018 in the Netherlands.

The building is ideally situated on the banks of the river Amstel, within walking distance of Amsterdam Amstel railway and metro station and a five-minute drive from the A10 and A2 motorways. Rivierstaete is fully let to various parties, including WPP, a global British advertising and PR company, as the largest lessee, together with the tech company Messagebird and Regus.

The renovated building was designed by MVSA Architects. The transparent glass facades give the building an open and accessible character with plenty of natural light. This connection between indoors and outdoors contributes to a healthy working climate. The building has also been made more sustainable and will achieve a BREEAM Very Good certificate.

Riverview topping-out ceremony in Gdansk

10 | 12 | 2018

Riverview – with a residential area exceeding 14,640 m² – is being developed at Angielska Grobla Street in Gdansk, in the direct vicinity of Ołowianka Island. The topping-out of the first residential project being developed by Vastint in Poland, was celebrated  with CFE Polska, the general contractor.

Riverview is being developed in close cooperation with the City Monument Conservator. This unique scheme comprises of seven buildings designed according to a history of place-based approach. They will accommodate 282 apartments, and retail and office units.

The project will be characterized by the high standard of finishes of the common areas and building- and technical solutions, conforming to the sustainable development concept being implemented by Vastint. Riverview will constitute the first residential project in Poland, which after completion will apply for LEED certificate. Another strong point of the project is the well-considered landscape architecture. An internal part of the project will be occupied by a garden. Plants have been integrated into leisure and meeting zones.

The entire complex is planned to be commissioned in the second half of 2019. The sale of apartments and retail units will start upon completion of the construction of the project.

Moxy Chester under construction

27 | 11 | 2018
On November 26th Robertson North West has started construction on Vastint Hospitality’s 194-keys Moxy Hotel with 24 on site car parking spaces and commercial unit. The site is located at the city’s canal, opposite of the Shot Tower and within walking distance to the historic city centre of Chester. Completion is expected in 2020.

Record-breaking lease for Business Garden Wroclaw

26 | 11 | 2018



Crédit Agricole extended its lease in Business Garden Wroclaw with an additional 10,000 m2 of office space, adding up to a total of 25,600 m2. The bank will occupy two buildings which are being developed as part of the second phase of the project. Following a planned consolidation of operations, Crédit Agricole Group, Crédit Agricole Bank, Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy and CA Ubezpieczenia will have their headquarters in the new location. The space is planned to be finally commissioned in the second half of 2019.

Marek Ulanecki, Leasing Manager at Vastint Poland says, “Based on the executed annex, Crédit Agricole will occupy 25,600 m2 of office space. It is a record-breaking lease agreement in the history of our company and one of the largest transactions executed this year in Wroclaw. We are planning to hand over the two newly developed buildings to the tenant in mid-2019. From a technical perspective, each building will contain tailor-made solutions for the client, and the layout of office space will be adjusted to the needs of particular operating units.”

Business Garden Wroclaw is being developed at Legnicka street in Wroclaw, near the Magnolia shopping and entertainment center and Mikołajów railway station, and in close proximity to the city center. The complex will ultimately consist of nine office and retail buildings with a total of 117,000 m2 leasable area. The area between the buildings constitutes a garden with leisure and work zones, where tenants can rest and practice outdoor activities. In addition to a restaurant pavilion located in the garden, a number of additional amenities are planned for tenants in the complex, e.g. a medical clinic and a kindergarten. Business Garden Wroclaw was awarded LEED Platinum certification.

Vastint lets 4,000 m2 in CitySide-Rivierstaete Amsterdam to Regus

23 | 11 | 2018

Vastint Netherlands has concluded a long-term lease with Regus, the provider of flexible office space, for 4,000 m2 of office space on the first and second floors in the CitySide-Rivierstaete building at Trompenburgstraat in Amsterdam. It is the company’s 21st location in the capital and will open its doors on 1 December.

The building is ideally situated on the banks of the river Amstel, within walking distance of Amsterdam Amstel railway and metro station and a mere five minutes’ drive from the A10 and A2 motorways. The distinctive complex, comprising a total of approx. 30,000 m2, has been fully renovated as a new, creative hotspot in the heart of Amsterdam. The building is at a particularly historic location as this was the site of the car manufacturer Spyker in the early 20th century.

Following a large-scale renovation, the building has been ready for occupation since 1 November. MVSA Architects created the new design. The transparent facades give the building an open and accessible character, bringing plenty of natural light into the building and with impressive views from the many roof terraces of the complex. This connection between indoors and outdoors adds to a healthy working climate.

Annelou de Groot of the Board of Regus Nederland says: ‘CitySide-Rivierstaete is the largest property we have leased this year, and also the most successful. Even before delivery we had already let 2,000 m2 to a global tech company. It is a fantastic spot in Amsterdam. The building has been beautifully renovated by the renowned firm of architects MVSA. We are also very fortunate to have prestigious lessees as neighbours at CitySide-Rivierstaete.’

Moxy London Heathrow Airport achieves BREEAM UK Excellent

06 | 11 | 2018

Vastint Hospitality has been awarded the BREEAM Excellent certificate for Moxy London Heathrow Airport.

Moxy London Heathrow Airport

With 437 well-equipped bedrooms this is the largest Moxy hotel in Europe. The hotel is located at 804 – 834 Bath Road in Cranford just 10 minutes from London’s Heathrow airport with good public transport and airport shuttle connections. There are also 122 parking and 68 off-airport parking spaces available. The hotel offers a spacious and trendy lobby, meeting rooms, a fitness centre, free superfast wi-fi, a bar and an outside terrace. From the top floors you have a great view overlooking the airport!

The hotel opened April 10th 2018.

BREEAM

BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. Globally there are more than 561,400 BREEAM certified developments, and almost 2,263,600 buildings registered for assessment since it was first launched in 1990.

For further information on BREEAM please see www.breeam.com.

Vastint Poland enters the Katowice real estate market

30 | 10 | 2018



Vastint Poland finalised the agreement for the purchase of development sites with an area of over 9,000 m2 at ul. Ks. Piotra Skargi in Katowice. The land contains the Silesia hotel, closed in 2006. Vastint is planning to demolish the building and construct a modern hotel and office building complex instead. The project is planned to start in 2019.

“From the start we knew that the location of the site in the city centre dictates certain functional solutions. In the neighborhood, there are a lot of commercial projects but not enough modern offices. The planned hotel of an area of approximately 5,000 m2 and two office buildings of an area of 30,000 m2 will enrich the centre of Katowice, which is already attractive for tenants, and make it even more competitive compared to other regional towns.” says Roger Andersson, Managing Director Vastint Poland.

Projects located in regional towns constitute a significant part of Vastint’s portfolio in Poland. Vastint’s plans clearly indicate that its engagement in local markets will continue to grow. Next year Vastint will commission 122,000 m2 of office space in Poznan and Wrocław and will start two new projects in Gdynia and Gdańsk with an area of over 80,000 m2. Acquisitions of development sites in regional towns, such as the current transaction in Katowice, constitute an element of Vastint’s expansion strategy in Poland.

“The demand for modern office space in Katowice has remained at a stable level for several years. More importantly, the town is currently one of the most frequently-chosen locations by modern business support services sector. It has great potential and we have high hopes for further stable development of the company in non-Warsaw markets.” Roger Andersson sums up.