Where tenant rotation is unheard of

The tenant survey was carried out by the Millward Brown market and opinion research institute in July and August 2014 in the form of anonymous telephone interviews and by electronic means. The tenants awarded points on a scale of -5 to 5 for such features of the building as: the location, the working conditions, the costs, the building management method, and so on. After the completion of the survey, it turned out that the most important aspects for all the tenants involved were the location, the costs and fees, the working conditions and whether the building itself provides possibilities in terms of changes, additional options, ecological issues, car parks, aesthetics and building layout as well as management. Forum 76 and Łużycka Office Park both represent the highest standards in these fields.

“We always strive to perform our work at the highest standard. Even though we are aware of its top standards, we do not do this for awards but for the satisfaction of our tenants. Therefore, as it was in 2012 when Forum 76 won the Office Building of the Year title for the first time, it was also a tremendous surprise for us this year. The tenant award for our building is the greatest distinction that can be obtained by a developer. All the more so because this is the second time we have won it,” says Krzysztof Witkowski, the president of the board of Virako, the developer of the building. Meanwhile, a representative of Allcon Investment, the developer and owner of Łużycka Office Park, gives us some advice on how to win. “In order to win a developer needs to be reliable in terms of the construction work, flexible and diligent when it comes to the management, as well as open to new solutions and ideas and unafraid of implementing them,” says Halina Gniadecka.

First impressions count, but then...

“We only focus on the architecture and appearance of a building at the beginning, when selecting the design. Daily usage aspects become more important later on. Does the air-conditioning work properly? Do you need to wait long for the lifts? Can you grab something tasty to eat for lunch? If all these questions can be answered satisfactorily, and any malfunctions can immediately be put right, then success is guaranteed,” explains the president of the board of Virako. The tenants of the office building were very satisfied with the location of the building, giving it 4.75 out of 5 points for the location in terms of access to public transport. “The second Office Building of the Year title at the Eurobuild Awards for Forum 76 was the result of a combination of factors. First of all, the project has an excellent location at the city’s ‘Marshal’s Junction’ – al. Piłsudskiego and al. Śmigłego-Rydza, which are the two main traffic routes in Łódź,” says Izabela Ciszewska, a consultant in the tenant representation department at JLL. Łużycka Office Park did even better, receiving as many as five points for location. The average score in this category amounted to 3.86. Halina Gniadecka of Allcon, however, insists that it is a comprehensive approach that counts, not just the location or the aesthetics. “I think that the award is the result of our care for the project starting from the initial idea, to our involvement in the design of the building – even in the smallest architectural details, the finishing and technical systems used, our everyday care – not only for the building but also its surroundings – and, last but not least, our efforts to provide the most comfortable working conditions for around two thousand people. By the way, I have to say that we are probably the only such office building in Poland that installs sculptures by different artist in each of the buildings (...). We are pleased that not only does decorating the interiors with works of art enhance the well-being of at least the majority of office workers, but it is also a unique form of promotion and patronage of an artist,” says the representative of the developer of the Gdynia office building. As for Forum 76 in Łódź, it also scored well in terms of the number of parking spaces compared to the space rented (4.25 points). Only two buildings – Malta House and Poleczki Business Park – had the highest score of 5 points. As far as the use of modern technologies in the building is concerned, Forum 76 received 4.33 points. The average score in the survey in this field was 2.77 points. Both winning projects obtained the highest score of 5 points in terms of the accessibility of the building for the disabled. The same number of points was also received by Olivia Business Centre and Poleczki Business Park. The Łużycka Office Park project was also distinguished for the communication inside the building. It received 4.67 points – the second highest level of satisfaction – for the waiting time for the lifts. Power security in the Łużycka Office Park building earned it 5 points, while Forum 76 was given 4.75 points, with the average being 3.83. A similar score was obtained by the Łódź office building for its internal lighting, while Łużycka Office Park obtained the maximum number of points. Furthermore, both buildings scored 4.67 points for the quality of the fit-out work. Forum 76 also received 4.76 points for the possibility of changing the decor of the offices. The tenants’ assessment of the atmosphere and design of the reception gave it 4.76 points. Allcon’s building received the same grade for comfort of usage.

Very important finances

Forum 76 also scored highly for management of the financial aspects. For the ratio of the rent to the leasable area, its size, type and quality, the office building in Łódź scored 4.33 points, far above the average of 2.34 points. The tenants’ satisfaction with the fees for services in the building gave it a score of 4.67 points. Only two other office buildings in Poland obtained better marks – Cross Point in Łódź and Poleczki Business Park in Warsaw, with the average score being 2.35 points. Forum 76 also scored impressively for the fees calculation method, for which it was awarded 4.76 points. This was exactly the same mark as that given to the other winner – Łużycka Office Park. The office project in Gdynia also obtained the highest score of 4.76 points for the overall management of the building. According to Halina Gniadecka of Allcon, her tenants are expressing their satisfaction with their workplace not only in the survey but also in their meetings with the administration. “We are very satisfied with our relations with the tenants, as we have many opportunities to sense their positive attitude towards us,” she says.

Rotate on this

Virako’s approach during the negotiations and renegotiations of leases in Forum 76 was another aspect that was graded well – 4.67 points. Thanks to this, tenant rotation is something of an alien concept for the office building. “So far – that is, since 2009 – no company that has chosen Forum 76 has swapped it for another office building,” boasts Krzysztof Witkowski. The future also looks rosy for both buildings, because when their tenants were asked the Eurobuild Awards question, “If you were looking for office space for rent now, would you choose the same project again?”, 100 pct of them, both in Forum 76 and Łużycka Office Park, responded that they would. “The tenants of Forum 76 also appreciated the wide-ranging amenities for tenants, including the conference centre, the restaurant and the open terrace on the roof – which tenants are free to use and helps both integration and relaxation,” adds Izabela Ciszewska of JLL. A similar situation reigns in the office building in Gdynia. “The rotation is marginal. We have instead been seeing the need for expansion for most of the companies here. Only two companies have moved out of the smallest units in the complex since 2008, which was mainly due to them having reduced needs in terms of the size of the space,” the representative of Allcon tells us.

Well-deserved distinction

“The building stands out because of its excellent location and its high standard,” believes Małgorzata Domaszewicz of Provident Polska, one of the tenants of Forum 76. “When we started looking for space for our Łódź office in 2009, having acquainted ourselves with the characteristics of Forum 76 and the amenities it offers, it was clear that the building stood out significantly compared to other properties of the sort we were interested in. Its attractive price offer was another factor that convinced us to move into the building in May 2010. So winning at the Eurobuild Awards is a well-deserved and highly prestigious achievement for this property,” explains Małgorzata Domaszewicz. Krzysztof Witkowski feels that the relations with the tenants are very good, and so the statuette is a just reward for their high assessment of the building. According to its tenants, Łużycka Office Park is the perfect fit for their needs. For the question “How does the office area currently leased respond to your company’s present needs?”, the office building received the maximum number of points. According to the head of Virako, the Eurobuild Award is a wonderful distinction to receive, especially considering that the competition is growing in importance and prestige every year. “Today this is definitely the most important industry awards in Poland and is very much appreciated on regional markets, such as Łódź. The fact that Forum 76 won the award has been covered extensively by the local media,” he says, adding that the company is also planning to participate in the competition in 2015. Allcon also insists that if another project is developed by the company, and not necessarily an office building, it will also want it included in the competition. ν