The owner of the Unirea Shopping Center shopping centers in Bucharest and Brasov wants to reposition the units on the retail market, in line with current consumer trends, by redefining the commercial spaces and attracting new tenants.

The consulting company Colliers Romania has been appointed to coordinate the repositioning and leasing process.

The owner’s objective is to transform Unirea Bucharest into a modern and adaptable multifunctional space, which will go beyond the traditional fashion-focused retail model. The new concept will integrate a diverse range of functionalities and services – from restaurants, cafes and rooftop bars, to areas dedicated to culture, sports and entertainment. At the same time, the project considers the inclusion of co-working spaces or classic offices.

In parallel, Colliers will also coordinate the complete repositioning of Unirea Shopping Center Brasov, which currently hosts two fitness operators and a restaurant-lounge on the top floor. The building will undergo an extensive renovation process, and reopening is estimated for the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027. The plans aim to transform the center into a multifunctional urban space, adapted to new trends in consumption, mobility and lifestyle.

Romania’s real estate sector operates within a sometimes challenging legal and regulatory environment. Bureaucratic hurdles in the permitting process can cause significant delays. Adding to this is the challenge of local authorities sometimes interpreting urbanist regulations inconsistently.

Addressing these issues, Ioana Niculeasa, Head of Real Estate at NNDKP, highlighted a recent governmental effort: “It’s a government emergency ordinance […] that actually simplifies the measure in respect to urbanism and construction, and its aim is to accelerate real estate investments. […] So, they have enacted this emergency ordinance in order to […] give maybe more predictability, to give, let’s say, certain timelines. Because they saw the problem with the issuance of the permitting documentation and building permit.” The hope is that this “brand-new piece of legislation […] will be correctly implemented by the relevant authorities, and we will see the permitting process being accelerated and enabling an acceleration of the real estate investments in general”.

Parallel to regulatory changes, lease agreements are also evolving, particularly in the retail sector. Ioana Niculeasa observed the shifts since the pandemic: “the retail landscape has changed a bit, mostly after the pandemic. And everybody, I mean tenants and lenders together, they are aiming to find maybe more creative and flexible solutions, trying […] to enhance occupancy or to balance the risk”. This has led to practical changes: “in retail agreements, for example, there is a hybrid rent structure […], base rent and turnover rent. And this is pretty much a standard […] in shopping centres and in high street locations. More importantly […] the terms are no longer 10-year lease terms, […] they are shorter, the renewal terms are being more flexible. There are more […] midterm break options, in order to enable or to address the market volatility and the tenants’ opportunities as well”.

Furthermore, sustainability is gaining legal traction in leases. Ioana Niculeasa noted the rise of “sustainability link provisions […], the green lease agreements, they are gaining more legal weight. I mean, landlords and tenants are shifting the ESG responsibilities. Everybody speaking about waste management, about CO2 tracking, utility efficiency”.

In sum, the Romanian real estate legal and contractual landscape is actively adapting to market pressures and the need for increased efficiency and flexibility, from governmental efforts to landlords and tenants restructuring lease terms and embracing sustainability.

Dragoș and Adrian Pavăl, the founders of the Dedeman retail chain, have unveiled plans for a significant real estate development in Bacău. The new project will rise on a plot of around 70,000 square meters in the Șerbănești district and involves an estimated investment of EUR 10 million.

A central feature of the future Dedeman Campus complex will be a modern 10-storey hotel designed to serve both tourists and the business sector. In addition to the hotel, the development will include two office buildings, each eight stories high, incorporating commercial spaces on the ground floor. Residential components will feature four apartment blocks with 11 floors, complemented by a shopping center, recreational areas, green spaces, decorative fountains, and a seasonal ice rink. The complex will also offer facilities dedicated to health and sports activities, aiming to transform the urban landscape along the banks of the Bistrita River.

To realize this large-scale project, the Pavăl brothers plan to acquire additional plots of land in the surrounding area. Supporting this initiative, the Bacău City Hall, under the leadership of Mayor Lucian-Daniel Stanciu-Viziteu, has already put two plots of 1,000 square meters each up for auction at a starting price of EUR 103 per square meter, responding to growing investor interest in the region.

Skanska’s Equilibrium 2 building, already a pioneer as the first project in Romania to achieve WiredScore Platinum certification in the development phase, has now proudly received the same highest-level certification for an operational building.

WiredScore Certification for Occupied Buildings evaluates how effectively a building supports digital connectivity in real time. It assesses various aspects, including internet quality, infrastructure resilience, maintenance, and tenant experience.

“Skanska continues to lead the way in shaping Romania’s office market with bold, forward-thinking decisions that truly reflect what tenants value: reliable connectivity, digital resilience, and infrastructure that supports long-term growth. We’re proud to support Skanska on this journey, and to see Equilibrium 2 not only break new ground as the first WiredScore certified building in Romania, but also as the first occupied building to achieve WiredScore Platinum,” declares Brett Hartle, WiredScore Head of Business Development – Central Eastern Europe.

“We’re proud to take our WiredScore journey one step further by achieving the WiredScore Platinum for occupied Buildings certification, WiredScore’s highest-awarded mark, proving that our building meets exceptional standards for the quality of its wired infrastructure, resilience, and wireless network. This demonstrates that Equilibrium 2 consistently provides the digital performance that our tenants expect every single day. We continue to invest in smart infrastructure because connectivity is essential for how people and companies work, collaborate, and grow. This recognition is a powerful testament to our long-term vision for urban comfort and digital resilience,” Bogdan Cristian Voicu, Project Manager, Commercial Development Division, Skanska CEE.

HanmiGlobal, the largest South Korean construction management company, has entered the Romanian market. The company, founded in 1996, introduced the concept of project management to the Korean market and has become one of the global leaders in the field over time.

The company has over 3,000 completed projects to date, from large office buildings to industrial parks, residential complexes, logistics spaces or transport terminals.
One of the most representative projects is the Seoul World Cup Stadium, an arena with a capacity of 67,000 spectators built for the 2002 World Cup. The network is present in over 60 countries, including North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In Europe, the company, with 1,500 employees worldwide, has offices in Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom.

Source: Profit.ro