Construction of Urban HUB, the largest multifunctional campus in the Baltic region, gets the green light

Kaunas District Municipality has granted permission to start the development of the SBA Urban stock-office campus. Construction work on the first phase will start this April, and the first four buildings will go up and tenants will start moving in early next year. The investment in the more than 70,000 sqm Urban HUB will be the largest of its kind in the Baltic States.

Offering more space for business development

“The newly born business city is an impulse for the whole Kaunas region. Urban HUB’s architecture, idea and concept will become a model for the high-end stock-office market in Lithuania and abroad. Already today, customers appreciate this retail, office and warehouse town for its flexibility and the possibility of developing their business in specifically adapted spaces. Urban HUB will be developed in the Kaunas district in three phases, with an investment of over EUR 100 million. We plan to develop the project quickly and efficiently, which is why we are already in the process of selecting construction partners, and we will start work soon – in April,” says Giedrius Muliuolis, the head of Urban HUB at SBA Urban.

According to him, the scale of the multifunctional retail, office and warehouse campus and the technological, infrastructure solutions offered will form the largest business ecosystem of its kind in the Baltic States.

The Mayor of Kaunas District Valerijus Makūnas says that solid investments will accelerate long-term economic development and increase employment. “The new stock-office campus in Biruliškės will open the door for businesses to come to our region, where they can set up in modern premises, have more opportunities to expand their operations and create new jobs for the residents. Together with SBA Urban, we have been working actively to expand the district’s infrastructure and create added value. We believe that Urban HUB will become a new centre of attraction,” says Valerijus Makūnas, the Mayor of Kaunas district.

Over fifty businesses will move in                 

Already in the first phase of the project, it is planned that around 50 businesses of different sizes will move in, ranging from major food brands and specialised retailers to cafes and entertainment venues. According to Rasa Pečiulaitė, Head of Real Estate Development at Urban HUB, the concentration and synergy of businesses, as well as the flexibility of the project, gives an advantage to the companies planning to settle in Urban HUB.

“The activity of potential clients shows that we are responding to the market demand. Today, we are talking to dozens of potential tenants to whom we can offer exactly the right space for their business. At the initial stage, companies can also make their own proposals for the technical details of the fit-out. Stock-office type projects stand out on the market for their wide and flexible possibilities of adapting the premises and we can already see those different types of companies, from small manufacturers, groceries, cafes and leisure areas to flower shops and various equipment dealers, will set up their businesses here”, says Pečiulaitė.

According to her, different businesses have specific needs for spaces. For example, active leisure and catering companies are looking for optimal ventilation and air circulation solutions. In contrast, others need a larger warehouse with ramps and a convenient logistics scheme in the area. Finally, smaller companies are looking for representative exhibition spaces and modern offices. The developers plan to offer this to the tenants – the possibility of fitting out the space according to very specific technical needs.

Will invest in the project and the region’s infrastructure

The first phase will involve the development of 22,000 sqm of space. The installation of infrastructure networks will accompany all the construction work. Central water, wastewater and drainage and rainwater networks are being built in the area, improving and extending the district’s centralised network. A new, more sustainable district heating system is also being built towards the Biruliškės settlement. Reconstruction and improvement of expressways are also planned, as well as a new Veterinarians’ Street in the district and two entrances from the main expressways.

The architecture and concept of the multifunctional retail, office and warehouse campus for the Urban HUB projects in Kaunas and Vilnius were designed by the world-renowned Danish architectural studio PLH Architects. The focus here was on architectural aesthetics and solutions that create a pleasant experience for customers and employees, from green and leisure spaces to cafes and parking.