ING Tech Poland has leased 16,600 sqm in the multi-purpose Global Office Park complex in Katowice, developed by Cavatina Holding. JLL represented the tenant during the transaction. This agreement is a strong signal that the Polish office market is still conducive to the development of companies from the business services sector despite the on-going pandemic. An example of this is Katowice, which in Q3 2020 was second only to Warsaw, in terms of developer activity and accounted for 15 percent of the country’s total space under construction. New office projects are driven especially by IT, high-tech and business services companies, which accounted for 77 percent of office demand in the city between January and September 2020.
Katowice serves as the main headquarters of ING Tech Poland – the provider of comprehensive IT and business services and supports ING’s digital transformation process worldwide. There is a continuously expanding team of over 1,800 people in Katowice and Warsaw. According to plans, the company will employ another 1,500 people by the end of 2021.
“ING Tech Poland consists of a team of experts in their respective fields, who are strongly committed, inspire one another, and are constantly looking for better, optimized solutions on the ING digitalization path. The success of our work also depends on our openness to new people, different points of view and stimuli for change. That is why it is so important for us to create a dynamic and creative working environment. The decision to move our headquarters to a completely new location is also a sign of ING’s trust and commitment of ING Tech Poland’s development in the long-term,” said Paweł Michalik, Head of ING Tech Poland.
ING Tower at Global Office Park
As part of the agreement signed in December 2020, ING Tech Poland will occupy 14,500 sqm which will be utilized as a workspace for the company’s teams, while over 2,000 sqm will be used to create a “Gravity Point” – a zone open to the community of Katowice, which will be used by both employees and other residents of the city and. A similar solution has already proved successful in the ING headquarters in Amsterdam, where the company has created an environment conducive to cooperation between businesses, universities and local enterprises. ING Tech Poland’s relocation into one of the two towers of the Global Office Park complex, which will be renamed ING Tower, is scheduled for July 2022.
Experts from JLL advised ING Tech Poland on finding the optimal location, negotiating favourable contract terms, and preparing a long-term lease strategy. The project is the result of the combined efforts of ING Tech Poland, JLL and Cavatina Holding, in terms of the working environment, technical consultancy and the creation of an aesthetic concept.
The mixed-use Global Office Park project developed by Cavatina Holding will supply the Katowice office market with more than 59,000 sqm of state-of-the-art space, 40 percent of which is already leased. The transaction illustrates the demand and potential of the Katowice market and, more broadly, of the resilience of regional markets to the challenges of the previous year. It is also an indicator for the entire office sector and Cavatina’s business model of offering multi-purpose, well-located buildings, with the possibility of adapting the layout to the needs of the tenant, with an area open to the city and its community, as well as an extensive residential function.
“We focus on city-forming developments that combine housing, office, and service facilities along with cultural elements because they are better designed and improve the functionality of cities. Global Office Park is being built in the heart of Katowice creating a new, vibrant area of the city. The proximity of the railroad station and excellent communication with both freeways and the airport make it conveniently accessible. Both the existing infrastructure and the facilities and amenities we are developing within the project will provide tenants with very comfortable conditions to run their businesses. Their employees will also enjoy an excellent working and leisure environment. I am glad that such a dynamic, innovative and open-minded company as ING Tech Poland will be operating in Global Office Park- it will further strengthen the city-forming effect of our investment,” commented Tomasz Zydorek, Commercialization Director at Cavatina Holding.
A total of nearly 90,000 sqm of space for work, living and recreation will be developed by Cavatina Holding as part of the multi-purpose complex development. The eye-catching three towers of Global Office Park will be located next to the junction of Mickiewicza and Dąbrówki streets in Katowice will enrich the city with another original architectural project.
The two office towers, together with the smaller building C, will provide a total of approximately 59,000 sqm of Class A space, while the residential tower will provide 670 apartments of varying sizes. The 100-metre-high towers will be set on a common five-floor podium, which will, in turn, provide an area for restaurants and services. Thanks to the applied energy-saving and ecological solutions, the complex’s office buildings will meet the requirements of BREEAM Excellent certification. Moreover, in the face of the pandemic, the company has decided to provide building tenants and users with a sense of complete safety, implementing solutions meeting the requirements of the latest International Building Institute standard – WELL Health-Safety Rating in its office projects. This certificate is awarded to office spaces which ensure minimizing the risk of disease transmission, as well as creating both safe and healthy workplaces.
A regional market that is on the up
The Katowice office market is still rapidly growing. It is currently Poland’s sixth-largest office market with nearly 560,000 sqm of office space and has the lowest vacancy rate (7 percent).
“During the first three quarters of the previous year, the Katowice market gained approximately 31,100 sqm of space, with another 200,000 sqm remaining under construction. By the end of September, demand stood at 34,000 sqm. 2020 brought a degree of uncertainty on the office market, but there are industries, such as IT and business services, which were very active in terms of concluding and extending leases. Our analysis of the Katowice market showed that the Global Office Park, currently under construction, will best meet ING Tech Poland’s expectations in terms of site vibe, location, and building finish quality. Additionally, Cavatina Holding has shown great flexibility when it comes to adapting to the tenant’s needs, thanks to which an office will be created that will perfectly match the company’s character,” said Dorota Gruchała, Director of JLL’s office in Kraków.
