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PROJECTS, TRENDS AND STRATEGIES

A good ten years after its opening, Skyline Plaza in Frankfurt am Main, which is jointly owned by Allianz and ECE, is receiving more than 35 million euros for an extensive modernization program. With new tenants and concepts, a revised design and numerous additional offers and services, it is being comprehensively prepared for the future.

Utopian Hours, taking place 18-20 October in Turin, Italy, is a three-day international event organized by urban knowledge agency Stratosferica, showcasing and discussing new concepts and inviting guests and audiences to suggest a new way of conceiving human evolution. Starting from the first edition in 2017, the festival aims to give for the eighth time a voice to the people behind these changes: City makers, activists, architects, and innovators share their experiences and stimulate new visions for the future and concepts of cities. ACROSS spoke to Daniele Vaccai, Project Developer at Stratosferica, about the festival, its program, and speakers.

LATEST TRENDS IN ASSET AND CENTER MANAGEMENT

DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN THE OUTLET INDUSTRY

In recent years, Europe has seen a proliferation of designer outlet malls, catering to savvy shoppers seeking luxury brands at discounted prices. However, the market in Europe is now showing signs of saturation, prompting developers and investors to look beyond traditional borders for new opportunities, says Giles Membrey, Managing Director, Rioja Estates. This shift is driven by various factors, including market maturity, consumer saturation, and the quest for untapped potential in emerging regions.

The number of stores operating at European outlet centres increased by 0.5% to 15,748 in the twelve months to August 2024. This is the greatest number ever recorded. The number of brands operating at European outlet centres also increased 1.4% to 4,536. This is 0.7% greater than in 2019.

STRATEGIES OF RETAILERS

The challenge is to transform the shopping center from a place of consumption to a world of experience that seamlessly combines leisure, entertainment, and shopping. In his guest article, Sebastian Guth, Managing Director of 21Media, explains the role of B2B and B2C marketing in the transition of brick-and-mortar retail and shopping centers.

Fashion company Peek & Cloppenburg* Düsseldorf opened the Conscious Fashion Store at The Playce Berlin in 2023. With this store, P&C* Düsseldorf wants to create awareness for more sustainable fashion and positively influence the industry. The company focuses on the corresponding design and direct exchange via panel discussions, workshops, or even on making the plants in the store particularly green. P&C’s Conscious Fashion Store exemplifies how even a large, international fashion chain can develop and integrate individual concepts that focus on experience. ACROSS spoke to Thimo Schwenzfeier, General Sales Manager of the Conscious Fashion Store at Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf, about the idea.

Thanks to their diverse mix of tenants and sectors, today’s shopping centers are more than just places to go shopping: They’re experience destinations and community hubs that enjoy a great deal of popularity – as illustrated by ECE Marketplaces’ latest success figures. Entertainment concepts have increasingly become attractive complements to and additional drawing cards for the respective locations, as current ECE center portfolio examples show.

“Commercial Real Estate is not a short-term project,” says Yurdaer Kahraman. The CEO and Board Member of Fiba Commercial Properties has dedicated his career to the retail real estate industry. He is familiar with the international and German markets and, through Fiba Commercial Properties, now operates some of the most innovative centers in Türkiye, Southeastern Europe, and the Far East. In the ACROSS interview, he critically examines the management of the European retail real estate industry and concludes that only quality will prevail. In today’s competitive environment, it is not a matter of being the largest in the number of assets and area. The winners are those who are fast, innovative, and sustainable.

LATEST TRENDS

Thanks to their diverse mix of tenants and sectors, today’s shopping centers are more than just places to go shopping: They’re experience destinations and community hubs that enjoy a great deal of popularity – as illustrated by ECE Marketplaces’ latest success figures. Entertainment concepts have increasingly become attractive complements to and additional drawing cards for the respective locations, as current ECE center portfolio examples show.

“It’s a fair question these days in lots of Western countries, Europe first and foremost. Running a restaurant in Europe requires a more nuanced approach than simply focusing on high revenue figures,” shares Will Odwarka, Founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting in his latest “F&B Insights” column. “The notion that success is guaranteed by sheer volume is misleading, as the current challenges facing the industry demand a deeper understanding and strategic planning,” he explains. Opening a restaurant in Western Europe may seem daunting to some, but it is essential to address the underlying issues that have been exacerbated by the recent global pandemic.

Like no other German shopping center, “The Playce” at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin is a shopping and cultural destination that focuses on food and beverage, leisure, and retail stores that are new to Berlin or unique in their concepts. One and a half years after its opening, The Playce is now 96 percent leased. ACROSS discusses why now is the best time to be part of the project with Roger Goyk, Director of Retail Brookfield Properties, and Jonathan Doughty, Special Project Manager at ECE.

The food hall market in Europe has seen significant growth and transformation over recent years. In less than a decade, the number of European food halls has almost doubled, with the UK, France and Italy leading the pack. Despite a pandemic and cost of living crisis across the continent, landlords and operators are seeing the benefit of the flexible model for our ever-changing modern world. There’s even been some new openings since C&W released our ‘Food Halls of Europe’ report in July 2024, including Time Out Market in Barcelona and Mercato Metropolitano in Ilford, London.

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY

Expo Real, Europe’s largest property and investment trade fair, concluded with a strong focus on digital transformation in the real estate sector. Among the key exhibitors, HyperIn stood out for its contributions to discussions on the evolving landscape of commercial real estate technology. The event served as an important platform for HyperIn to showcase their all-in-one platform, engaging industry leaders and sharing insights on how technology is shaping the future of property management.

Shopping centers—including multi-use, regional, luxury centers, and outlet malls—should always be looking for ways to increase traffic and maintain loyalty among existing shoppers, as well as attract new visitors. This article by Placewise CEO Susan Hagerty Bonsak delves into how experiential marketing can help centers evolve into vibrant community hubs. Let’s explore a hypothetical event, Sensory Spring Fest, which uses experiential marketing to create engaging activities, drive sales, and build strong community ties.

Hardly any other word has characterized the real estate industry lately as much as transformation. It describes many different aspects and involves all stakeholders. However, one area that is often neglected is community building. We are ignoring the most critical group: the users and consumers. David Fuller-Watts, CEO of Mallcomm, explains in this interview what community building should stand for today and what the real estate industry, including proptech, needs to do to serve their communities’ changing needs.

Why do we visit shopping centers? Is it merely for shopping, or are we seeking entertainment, a place to meet, or perhaps all of these experiences combined? Despite the diverse reasons that draw us to shopping centers, one expectation remains consistent across all visits: the demand for quality.

PLANS OF INVESTORS AND OWNERS

The acquisition of the leading shopping mall in Novi Sad for 177 million euros by BIG CEE marked Serbia´s largest retail transaction ever. Promenada, one of the strongest malls in the country, features many international brands, a 100% occupancy rate, and more than 10 million visitors annually.

After the collapse of a previous deal last year, the Swiss luxury goods group Richemont has found in Mytheresa a new buyer for its online fashion and accessories business Yoox-Net-a-Porter (YNAP).