Zacaria Group, the largest developer of logistics spaces in Sibiu, will open a retail park in Cisnădie, Sibiu, next year following an investment of more than 11 million euros. Zacaria Retail Park Cisnădie will occupy a leasable area of 9,000 square meters and an attractive mix of tenants secured through an exclusive leasing partnership with CBRE Romania, the market leader in real estate consultancy, which has already started the process of leasing commercial spaces.
Located in the central area of Cisnădie, the new retail park will benefit from the conversion of a former carpet factory site, on a total area of 11,500 square meters that includes the rentable area in the park and a supermarket anchor. Zacaria Retail Park Cisnădie will accomodate fashion and shoes mass market, kids toys and fashion, home and deco, pet food and accessories, and banking services retailers. There will be a food court available, and also spaces for events dedicated to the community. 358 parking spaces will facilitate visitors’ shopping experience.
“We are always open to support bold developers who enter regional markets and expand their business outside Bucharest or other major cities, adding value to their adopted region and its community. Thanks to an excellent collaboration with Zacaria, the CBRE Romania team has already initiated the leasing process for one of the most important retail parks in the center of the country, using its high-level leasing expertise to attract the right retailers for this type of regional shopping center. As major brands move into the center, Zacaria Retail Park Cisnădie will become a one-stop-shop destination center, meeting the needs of customers, and becoming one of the significant investments in Sibiu County”, says Cristina-Maura Toros, Leasing Manager at CBRE Romania.
Scheduled to be opened in the second quarter of 2023, the retail park developed by Zacaria will be a modern construction that will meet the ESG requirements. Zacaria Retail Park Cisnădie is the second retail park and the 15th real estate project developed by the real estate company in Romania. The company already broke ground on the biggest retail investment to date in Cisnădie and demolision and reconversion works are in full swing.
Zacaria chose Cisnădie for the new project mainly because the town has been booming in the last two years, attracting more residential and leisure investments, but also new inhabitants leaving Sibiu. According to the Sibiu PMUD (Sustainable Urban Mobility Programme) currently under public debate, Cisnădie has registered a significant increase of 30% in the last eight years, representing the population that has chosen to relocate to this town in the immediate vicinity of Sibiu. At the same time, the number of the resident population in Sibiu has been decreasing since 2016, by about 0.3% each year, according to the National Institute of Statistics 2021. The city’s population is steadily decreasing, but only a small part of those who migrate to other localities do so by changing their residence. This causes the city of Sibiu to expand (urban sprawl) although the number of resident population decreases.
With a registered population of over 24,000 inhabitants as well as another 10,000 to 15,000 residents attracted from Sibiu, Cisnădie is becoming a new leisure destination thanks to the lastest tourist facilities, highway connection and a dinamic community of expats, attracting young people from Sibiu to spend their free time in a natural environment or even to relocate here.
“We continue to invest in multiple projects and our portfolio will continue to expand in the next years. Since we have seen the local community needs and the desire for regional expanding for several retail players, we have decided to invest in the development of Cisnădie and of the Sibiu County by developing a new retail park. Given that our headquarters are in Sibiu, we based our decision on the knowledge we have about the real potential of local demand. In addition, together with our flawless partnership with CBRE Romania, which has the expertise to attract the best retailers to the new park, we will launch this new project with the desire to become an important part of Cisnădie’s development as a tourist destination”, explains Marius Moga, Sales & Marketing Manager at Zacaria.
The project was realized by the architectural company Triptic Studio, with the help of architects Aurel Basuc and Adriana Popa. Following the requirements of sustainability and urban regeneration, Zacaria Retail Park Cisnădie integrates commercial spaces with pedestrian promenades, vertical gardens, relaxation areas, playgrounds and spaces for hosting various cultural or sports events, to meet the needs of the city.
It is one of the few projects in Romania that not only transforms an industrial site, but integrates the history of the place, follows the typical architecture of the city and exploits the existing landforms near the riverbed to become a unique destination.
“The conversion of the former carpet factory into an ideal destination for shopping and leisure, as well as the concept of building directly over the Cisnădie River, proved to be an interesting technical challenge. Therefore, we propose for the future commercial complex a balanced composition between urban regeneration, the needs of the city and the existence of the riverbed, with a focus on the modernization of the infrastructure through the functional conversion of the old industrial area. In addition, the project benefits from the development of green and interactive spaces, including various services dedicated to the nearby residential area, elements that will have a significant impact on the quality of the existing urban space and texture”, says Aurel Basuc, Founding Partner Architect at Triptic Studio.
