Commercial & Industrial Property Across CEE

What Is Commercial and Industrial Property?

In the real estate world, commercial and industrial properties serve different business functions – from customer-facing operations to storage, production, and logistics. Understanding the distinctions between these asset types is key to making informed decisions when renting, investing, or managing property.

🟣 Commercial Property

Commercial property includes spaces designed for business use outside of manufacturing or logistics. The most common types are:

• Office spaces
  Designed for administrative, service-oriented, or managerial functions. Offices can range from corporate headquarters to flexible workspaces in business parks.
• Coworking spaces
  A shared office environment offering short-term desks, private offices, and communal amenities. Ideal for freelancers, startups, and companies needing temporary or flexible expansion space.
• Retail units
  Premises used for customer-facing activities – such as stores, showrooms, or service points. Located in city centres, shopping malls, or retail parks, these properties focus on visibility and footfall.

These commercial spaces differ in layout, location strategy, and lease structure – from long-term anchor tenants to agile, short-term occupants.

🟣 Industrial Property

Industrial property includes buildings used for logistics, warehousing, production, or distribution. Within this category, we typically distinguish:

• Warehouse (Storage Facility)
  A building designed for the storage of goods, typically offering high clear height, durable floors, and racking infrastructure. Tenants include wholesalers, e-commerce players, or distributors.
• Production Hall (Manufacturing Facility)
  A customized industrial space for assembling or producing goods. These facilities often include reinforced flooring, technical ventilation, loading docks, and specific power supply configurations.
• Logistics Facility (Distribution Centre)
  Combines warehousing with efficient transport operations. These properties are strategically located near highways, airports, or multimodal terminals and are optimized for speed, accessibility, and volume.

Real Estate Markets in CEE

iO Partners operates across Central and Eastern Europe, combining pan-regional expertise with local market knowledge. Here is an overview of key markets and locations – each offering specific strengths in both office and industrial sectors.

🟣 Czech Republic: Dual Core Market for Offices and Logistics

Office space:

• Prague is the country’s most developed office market, with strong activity in Prague 1 (CBD), Prague 4, and Prague 8 – Karlín.
• Regional centres like Brno, Ostrava, and Pilsen offer growing office zones for SSCs, IT firms, and local headquarters.

Industrial property:

• Greater Prague East & West is a key logistics region with direct motorway access.
• Brno serves pan-European distribution and production.
• Pilsen supports cross-border activity near Germany.
• Ostrava offers large industrial parks and a skilled workforce.
• Other logistics and industrial hubs include Kolín, Pardubice, Liberec, Kladno, Olomouc and České Budějovice – ideal for last-mile or regional operations.

🟣 Slovakia: Strategic Corridor for Logistics and Corporate Growth

Office space:

• Bratislava is the largest office market, concentrated around CBD and New Nivy district, serving SSCs, banks, and tech firms.
• Secondary office clusters are forming in Košice, Nitra, and Trenčín.

Industrial property:

• Senec is Slovakia’s top logistics zone with proximity to Bratislava and Austria.
• Nitra, Žilina, and Trenčín focus on automotive, electronics, and supplier logistics.
• Košice is gaining momentum as a future logistics and light production hub.

🟣 Hungary: Budapest Office Dominance and Expanding Warehouse Base

Office space:

• Budapest leads with modern stock and high pre-leases along the Váci Corridor, South Buda, and CBD.
• Demand is shifting toward ESG-compliant and flexible work environments.

Industrial property:

• Budapest logistics ring includes the M0 and M1 corridors, key for last-mile and regional operations.
• Győr supports Western-European supply chains and automotive tenants.
• Debrecen is a rising industrial centre, attracting major investors and cross-border infrastructure.
• Törökbálint hosts modern parks for FMCG and 3PL tenants.

🟣 Austria: Prime Market with Stable Office Leasing and Targeted Logistics

Office space:

• Vienna is the central market for corporate HQs, with consistent demand and low vacancy in the CBD and north-south axis.

Industrial property:

• Vienna outskirts offer smaller logistics parks focused on city delivery and regional e-commerce.
• Larger warehousing is limited but stable, serving Austria’s domestic distribution networks.

🟣 Romania: Dual Growth in Urban Offices and Regional Warehouses

Office space:

• Bucharest is the leading market, with strong leasing in central and northern submarkets.
• Cluj, Iași, and Timișoara serve IT, finance, and BPO occupiers.

Industrial property:

• Bucharest Ring Road logistics parks are booming, with low vacancy.
• Cluj, Iași, and Timișoara offer cost-effective distribution to western and eastern corridors.
• Urban logistics formats are developing quickly in response to last-mile trends.

🟣 Serbia: Fast-Emerging Logistics Platform With Cost-Efficient Offices

Office space:

• Belgrade is the primary office market, with demand for new flexible space and fit-out-ready buildings.
• Coworking operators are entering aggressively to meet SME and startup demand.

Industrial property:

• Belgrade logistics belt around highways A1 and A3 is growing rapidly.
• Subotica, Novi Sad, and Niš serve both domestic and cross-border flows.
• Facilities range from build-to-suit production halls to scalable speculative warehouses.

🟣 Croatia: Niche Market Driven by Port Logistics and Urban Offices

Office space:

• Zagreb is the country's business capital with stable demand for midsize office floors.
• Boutique and flex formats are on the rise, serving legal, tech, and tourism companies.

Industrial property:

• Rijeka and Zagreb surroundings are primary logistics locations, driven by port access and FMCG distribution.
• Smaller logistics facilities are scattered along highway corridors and near tourism zones.

🟣 Why Work With iO Partners

iO Partners provides a full spectrum of services for both commercial and industrial real estate across Central and Eastern Europe. We combine in-depth local expertise with international standards to deliver:

• Leasing advisory – office, warehouse, and hospitality
• Valuation, investment strategy & due diligence
• Design & build, office fit-out, workplace consultancy
• ESG reporting, energy optimization, and sustainable upgrades
• Cross-border coordination for regional occupiers and investors

Whether you need space, strategy, or support – we connect ambition with opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the difference between commercial and industrial property?
  Commercial covers offices, coworking, and retail. Industrial includes warehouses, logistics centers, and manufacturing halls.
  
  
• Which cities are best for warehouse leasing in CEE?
  Top hubs include Greater Prague, Budapest logistics ring, Debrecen, Senec, Cluj, Belgrade, and Subotica.
  
  
• Where can I find high-quality office space?
  Main office markets include Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Bucharest, Vienna, and Zagreb. Regional cities like Brno, Cluj, and Košice are also growing.
  
  
• Do you offer coworking or flexible space advisory?
  Yes. We help tenants source, negotiate, and fit out coworking and flex-office space across the region.
  
  
• Can iO Partners assist with ESG and reporting?
  Absolutely. We provide ESG audits, reporting, implementation support, and asset repositioning strategies.
  
  
• What’s the difference between a warehouse, a production hall, and a logistics facility?
  A warehouse is for storage, a production hall is built for manufacturing, and a logistics facility is optimized for fast distribution and cross-docking.