Registry -Developments

   German construction company Hochtief is planning to build a zl. 1.38 billion ($300 million) hotel and office complex at the intersection of Aleja Jana Pawla II and ulica Swietokrzyska in downtown Warsaw, the company said. Hochtief, which plans to build the yet-to-be named hotel jointly with the insurer Powszechny Zaklad Ubezpieczen, expects the complex to be finished in 2002. Hochtief has been present on the Polish market since 1990, and recently completed the merger of its four subsidiaries, Hochtief Polska, Budokor, Kpis-Cracovia, and Poz-Building, creating a single company, Hochtief Polska. In recent years the four companies have been involved in construction projects worth zl. 830 million ($186.9 million), the company said. (Prawo i Gospodarka, Reuters)

   Leroy Merlin, a French chain of do-it-yourself hardware stores that already has five outlets in Poland, plans to build an additional 15-20 throughout the country. The cost of one Leroy Merlin outlet is estimated at zl. 16.1 million-24.2 million ($3.5 million-$5.25 million), the company said. (Puls Biznesu)

   Auchan Polska, the Polish unit of the French retailer, intends to boost the number of its hypermarket outlets in Poland from the current six to 30-40 by 2008, the company said. Auchan is planning to open four to five new hypermarkets annually at a cost of zl. 600 million ($130.4 million) per year. The company is hoping to catch up to competitors like the German Metro, which has already opened 23 Real hypermarkets in Poland, Auchan said. The estimated cost to open a single hypermarket is about zl. 100 million ($21.7 million). Auchan said it would open outlets in cities with populations numbering fewer than 120,000 inhabitants through its subsidiary Shiever Polska. (Puls Biznesu)

   Swedish construction giant NCC is interested in buying local builder Hydrobudowa Gdansk. National Investment Fund (NIF) Jupiter, which holds about a 50% stake in Hydrobudowa, has been searching for a strategic investor for six months. NCC needs to acquire a local construction company to implement its plans to build motorways here. The Swedish concern previously paid zl. 50 million ($10.9 million) for 40% of the PRINZ engineering company. For the planned stake in Hydrobudowa, NCC is expected to pay more than zl. 50 million ($10.9 million). Hydrobudowa has its contract calendar for 2001 completely booked with projects such as the modernization of the water route between Szczecin and Swinoujscie, which is worth zl. 230 million ($50 million). This year Hydrobudowa forecast a net profit of zl. 5 million ($1.1 million) on sales of zl. 85 million ($18.5 million). (Puls Biznesu)

   Synergia 99, a subsidiary of the Gdansk Shipyard, is planning to develop a massive mixed-use project on a lot currently used by the shipyard. Synergia, which owns 73 hectares of land, plans to relocate the shipyard to the nearby Ostrow Island by the end of 2004. Current shipyard property will be used to build mixed-use projects such as municipal departments, public utility buildings, office buildings, retail and entertainment centers, and residential settlements. Synergia, which hopes to attract private developers to the project, said the total investment could reach zl. 7 billion-zl. 9 billion ($1.5 billion-$2 billion). (www.businessman.com.pl)

   International hotel chain Holiday Inn plans to open its next outlet in Wroclaw in January. The hotel, built by the developer Global Hotels, will have 164 rooms. Located at the intersection of ulica Pilsudskiego and ulica Swidnicka, the building will also have eight conference rooms, a fitness club, and a restaurant. Global Hotels plans to build 20 Holiday Inn hotels in Poland within the next 10 years. The company's next project, in Krakow, is scheduled for completion by mid-2001.

   TC Debica, the local tire producer owned by U.S.-based Goodyear, plans to invest zl. 55.2 million ($12 million) in a distribution center in the southern city of Tarnow. The project, to be built by F.B.H. Skalski, will have 30,000 square meters of warehousing space. The center is planned for completion by the third quarter of 2001.

   Compiled by Anna Staniszewska