2020 ended with success: we topped out twice and met Forest’s ideal tenant

While it was certainly a tough year for everyone, 2020 did deliver some real highlights here at HB Reavis, especially during the last quarter.

Varso Tower hit a record-breaking height

When Varso Tower topped out at 230m last month, it became the tallest building in Poland. Work will continue with the addition of  an 80-metre tall spire and, once it’s up, the building will be the country’s first supertall building (structures over 300m). Excitingly, at 310m, it will also be the tallest in the EU.

It’s the centrepiece of our vision for Varso Place, with offices, a hotel, an innovation hub, and retail spaces including a gym and health centre. As well as great links to Warsaw Central Station, there are two public observation decks – at 205m and 230m – that will be twice the height of  the terrace at the nearby Palace of Culture and Science.

Forest attracts passionate DIY tenant

Home improvement and garden retailer Leroy Merlin recently leased 12,000 sq m of space at our Forest campus in Warsaw. One of the city’s largest transactions in 2020, the contract includes the three floors in the highest part of the mixed-use development.

Forest boasts a range of amenities, and access to a great public transport system. But it’s the sustainability credentials that stand out most. As well as being one of the largest projects in Europe with BREEAM, BREEAM Communities, and WELL certifications; it features roofs with relaxation areas for employees, and even a community garden. Balconies and loggias – a rarity for offices – will offer wonderful views of the surrounding urban jungle.

DSTRCT.Berlin holds topping-out ceremony

December 2020 also saw the topping-out wreath suspended over DSTRCT.Berlin. The site of a former abattoir, it’s a genuinely unique project. An innovative series of buildings will offer new office and conference spaces, as well as attractive indoor and outdoor catering facilities – and become a professional and social focus for Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district.

The listed halls on Landsberger Allee are being renovated and refurbished. And the final design will revolve around the needs of its users – their health, wellbeing, and productivity. Construction kicked off in early 2019, and leading digital brands STRATO and IONOS have already signed on as tenants in the new office building – occupying almost half of its 40,000 sq m of rentable space. Watch the topping-out ceremony here: