On 23 December 2009, there took place a press conference to cover the opening of first phase of the Pulkovo Sky business centre and to review the year's progress. The press conference featured contributions by Andrei Hitrov, Managing director of EKE Group in St Petersburg; Mikko Pitkanen, Vice-President of Danske Bank; Andrei Rozov, CEO of St-Petersburg branch of Jones Lang LaSalle; and Andrei Ivanov, representative of the maintenance company, ZAO ARE-St Petersburg.
Building B with a rentable area of 13,000 sq.m was commissioned in late October. In a few months of 2009, the Business Centre occupancy reached about 80 % as per contracts signed and approved. For the most part, these are successful Russian and foreign companies that put a premium on comfort, convenient layout, European quality and professionalism in management.
As of today, the business centre is occupied by 23 tenants. Among them are companies such as Lindorff, ARE Oy, Imtech, Schenker Russia, Europress, Development Centre, Seamax, Jet Port, and Transaero. Pulkovo Sky also accommodates a unit of the Transport Ministry called “North-Western Air Search-and-Rescue Centre”.
Managing director of the St Petersburg division of EKE Group Andrei Hitrov emphasized: “The Pulkovo Sky Business Centre is our company's best project ever. It meets the current European standards. The most important thing to us is our customers; so, despite the crisis, we strive to provide the best service possible for our tenants. I believe that it is the combination of high technologies and personal approach to each customer that make our business centre successful and effective.”
Andrei Rozov, CEO of the St Petersburg branch of Jones Lang LaSalle, said that the currently available space in St Petersburg was 379,000 sq. m, the total supply of space being 1,540 thou. sq.m. Over the past year, the space transacted in the office market totalled some 120,000 sq. m, with about 7-8% of the space accounted for by the Pulkovo Sky project.
“Right from the word go, we supported EKE Group's decision to implement the Pulkovo Sky project. We find the business centre an example of superior development, completed in the shortest time possible within St Petersburg's emerging business area. The new airport and hotel, the high-speed service between the airport and the city centre, the completed ZSD (West High-Speed Diameter) thoroughfare will all boost the appeal of the business centre with each passing year,” said Mr Rozov.
Mikko Pitkanen, Vice-president of Danske Bank, also gave a high rating to the Pulkovo Sky project: “Even at the lowest ebb we knew we needn't worry about our partner or the project. EKE Group has a strong reputation in Finland, having implemented quite a few successful projects; its team in St Petersburg is noted for its professionalism and ability to find optimal solutions in a changing environment.”
The project's success can be credited in no small measure to the business centre's unique features: its technological level, effective space planning, high service standards, convenient location and a striking appearance. During the crisis, it was those parameters that ensured a high rate of occupancy for the business centre because many companies preferred to move to a new and better office while keeping their rent expenses at the same level. To date, the average level of rental rates is 1000+ roubles per square metre per month. Another major factor was the option of renting either small offices (upwards of 30 sq.m) or large space up to 1000 sq.m with an open layout on the same level.
The company plans to complete finishing work on phase two of the project early next year, following which the total space of the business centre will be 76,000 sq.m, including rentable space of 41,000 sq.m. This means that Pulkovo Sky will be the largest office centre in St Petersburg with leading-edge utility systems. The project comprises three 14-storey buildings 50 metres high and a multi-storey car park for 850 cars.
