Strategic move

Bank Pekao SA leasing the entire LipowyOffice Park, even before it was completed, was an unprecedented transaction and the biggest one of its kind in Poland. Now, the bank will move its operations to the new headquarters located on ul. Żwirki i Wigury in the Ochota district of Warsaw from eight different offices scattered throughout the city. The move was a strategic one that will improve the work and drive operational costs down, such as transporting employees between different locations, phone bills and most of all leasing expenses in six different buildings.

Parking issues will also be solved. Several parking spaces will be exchanged for an underground garage with 400 parking spots and a traditional above ground parking lot. "The problem with finding a vacant space is one of the main obstacles at current locations," Tomasz Bogusławski from Bank Pekao SA press office explained in an email. Employees will have easy access to transportation links and the bank is in negotiations with ZTM (City Transportation Management) about providing a shuttle bus service for the staff.

The proximity of the future office to the Warsaw airport was also an important factor. It will make business trips easier and narrow transportation costs further down. The new office will feature a restaurant, cafe and a fitness center for employees, as well as a modern conference center, which will bring more savings, as the bank previously leased conference space for various events.

A move on such a grand scale required lots of planning. "To orderly conduct the complicated process of construction and relocation it was necessary to appoint a so-called steering committee in the bank's central with directors responsible for the project among committee's members," wrote Bogusławski.

The steering committee is divided into teams responsible for consecutive phases of the project. The group meets according to the needs to monitor the process, make decisions when necessary and meet with developer's representatives. For now, the project is going as planned without delays with first building of LipowyOffice Park scheduled to go into use in late Q1 2009.

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