The Warsaw HUB draws huge interest. Ghelamco has signed an agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the biggest hotel chains in the world. Two brands of this company, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express, will be part of The Warsaw HUB. Ghelamco has also signed the first letters of intent for almost 15,500 sqm of office space.
The Warsaw HUB is being erected in the fast developing part of Warsaw, i.e. at Rondo Daszyńskiego in Wola district, at the junction of Towarowa and Prosta streets. The complex will consist of three skyscrapers: two 130-meter office towers and the 86-meter hotel building. All the buildings will be joined by a five-storey foundation, which will create a big-city frontage along Towarowa Street.
Ghelamco has signed the first letters of intent for almost 15,500 sqm of office space. The convenience area also draws much attention of the tenants – letters of intent have been signed for almost 1,500 sqm. Lease agreements will be signed soon.
“Today we can say that The Warsaw HUB draws huge interest. At the moment we have tenants for almost 38,000 sqm. It means that 33 percent of the space is booked or leased two years before the delivery of the project,” said Jarosław Zagórski, Commercial and Business Development Director at Ghelamco Poland.
Ghelamco has already signed an agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the biggest hotel chains in the world. Ghelamco has signed an agreement with IHG for managing the chain’s two brands: Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express. Over 430 comfortable rooms and suites will be located in the 86-meter tower of The Warsaw HUB complex. This will be the largest facility managed by IHG in Poland and the second largest hotel building in Warsaw. The four-star Crowne Plaza will be also the brand’s first hotel in the country. It will offer around 212 rooms and suites, while the Holiday Inn Express will have approximately 218. The Crowne Plaza will include a restaurant on the first floor, a 2,000 sqm conference centre and a bar with a terrace on the 21st floor. The hotels will also offer cafes, bars and a fitness club. Both brands will occupy more than 21,000 sqm in The Warsaw HUB.
“We are excited to be partnering with Ghelamco to bring the first Crowne Plaza to Poland and our first dual branded complex to the market. This will increase the number of rooms in our pipeline in Poland to over 2,000. Now considered a world-class business and leisure travel hub, we’ve seen a huge surge in demand for hotels in Eastern Europe and it is exciting that our owner partners are recognizing the huge opportunities and benefits of investing in the region,” commented Miguel Martins, Director, Development Poland, IHG.
“InterContinental group’s brands offer top quality hospitality services. We are happy that Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express will supplement The Warsaw HUB’s offering. The complex is located in the new business centre of Warsaw, right next to the Warsaw Uprising Museum and Plac Europejski. It will also have direct access to the second metro line, which will take riders to Nowy Świat and Krakowskie Przedmieście streets in a matter of minutes. Thus the hotels will be attractive both to tourists and business customers,” added Jeroen van der Toolen, Managing Director CEE, Ghelamco.
During the planning phases of the investment, the investor was supported by hotel advisory company Hotel Professionals. Currently, Hotel Professionals has been selected as an advisor in the development process of the hotel investment.
“We are extremely proud to have participated in the planning process of this one of a kind investment. It is an extraordinary project for the city of Warsaw. The entire complex will enrich the city with a new vibrant business centre, while the introduction of, on the one hand an established global brand, and an entirely new global brand on the other, will be of considerable added value to Warsaw’s rapidly developing hotel market. We are proud to announce that this is yet another new brand to make its debut in Poland with the support of our team,” commented Alex Kloszewski, Managing Partner at Hotel Professionals.
The Warsaw HUB is currently Ghelamco’s most innovative project, which will go far beyond the traditional concept of an office complex. The investment is built upon the concept of a “hub,” i.e. a major functional and transportation centre. Various means of transport and roads meet in the direct vicinity of the project, namely the metro, trams, buses, trains, and major routes. The complex will combine all functions which are necessary for modern corporations and startups to operate. In addition to the hotels, the 113,000 sqm of space will host state-of-the-art office space, a conference centre, commercial outlets, and a fitness club. In the Warsaw HUB, there will also be a place for MeetDistrict, a unique co-working space which has been successful in Ghelamco’s Belgian investments. Ultimately, The Warsaw HUB will also be home to The Heart Warsaw, a centre of cooperation between corporations and startups, now based in Warsaw Spire. The investment is scheduled to be completed in early 2020.
