ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies, has signed a lease agreement for ca. 10,000 sqm of office space in the Axis office building located in the center of Cracow and developed by Skanska Property Poland. Tenant Representation Department at Knight Frank advised ABB on selecting the location. It is one of the largest agreements signed in regional cities in 2015.
The new tenant will occupy up to half of the modern office building that offers 20,000 sqm in total. This means that the building located in close proximity to Mogilskie Roundabout will be 50% commercialized over a year before its completion date scheduled for Q4 2016. Approximately 1,000 ABB specialists will work in Axis.
"Our office in the building developed by Skanska will be the headquarter for our IT specialists team, providing services for the entire ABB Group. Thanks to this relocation, we will be able to consolidate several of our Cracow-based offices into one location and provide our employees with a comfortable working environment which, in turn, will encourage effectiveness and creativity. We want new offices to set new standards of work. It was not without significance for the choice of this location, that it was built with ABB's latest innovations such as switchgears, transformers, and KNX intelligent building control system. Thanks to cooperation with Skanska, Axis will become a reference building for our modern technology", says Janusz Machnicki, Country Real Estate Manager at ABB.
“The agreement with ABB illustrates that there is huge potential in the Cracow office market. For us, this is the biggest lease agreement signed in 2015 so far. While offering space in Axis, we are providing the tenant with more than just an office building. The scheme is being developed primarily with a focus on the people who will be using it on a day-to-day basis. Flexible space, the ability to use a Wi-Fi connection outside, green solutions and useful service points will make the building functional, effective and comfortable,” says Arkadiusz Rudzki, Leasing & Asset Director at Skanska Property Poland.
Cracow is recognized as the best location for outsourcing centers in Europe[1] and is reflected in the strong demand for high class office space in the city. In 2014, Małopolska region's capital city had office space lease stock totaling 117,000 sqm. According to Knight Frank, lease agreements for 51,000 sqm have already been signed in H1 2015.
The Axis office building, whose design is based on green solutions, will provide an optimal working environment, consuming 25% less energy and 50% less water than local norms. The building's green credentials are further strengthened by its international LEED Gold certification. In order to increase working comfort, tenants will have a developed bicycle infrastructure at their disposal. The building comprising nine floors above ground and three below, has been developed in accordance with the Workplaces by Skanska concept, and will be part of a significant business and communication hub in Cracow.
Axis is the second investment by Skanska Property Poland in Cracow. Last year, the company completed the development of Kapelanka 42 complex.
[1] Raport Tholons, 2015 TOP 100 Outsourcing Destinations