NEPI announced its intention to take over the retail park Severin Shopping Center, as well as a plot of land nearby, with a 2.3 ha area. Belrom accepted NEPI’s offer, which is conditioned by the drawing of the transaction documents, the results of the due diligence process and other permits, according to the company’s release to Bucharest Stock Exchange. Severin Shopping Center has a total rentable are of 16,000 sqm. NEPI intends to extend the commercial centre and to sign with international tenants. At the same time, NEPI insured the acquisition of several plots of land of nearly 4 ha in Targu-jiu, where the developer has a plan for a commercial centre anchored by international retailers as tenants. Moreover, it looks like Sibiu is also target by the investors, where the only commercial centre is Shopping City Sibiu, the property of AREOF investment fund. According to the release, NEPI decided to buy the rights of the financing contracts and to rejuvenate and reconfigure the commercial centre. After buying last year two plots in Alexandria and Sfântu Gheorge, near the Kaufland hypermarkets, NEPI runs the same strategy for Sighişoara and Vaslui, in order to develop strip-malls with rentable areas between 2,300 and 2,800 sqm. This month, the CEO, Martin Slabbert, announced the first investment outside Romania. The developer made an offer for the buying of Aupark Shopping Centre from Zilina, Slovakia. The owner of the mall has accepted the offer and the completion of the transaction could happen by at the end of the year. „NEPI continues to explore and take advantage of the new opportunities of acquisitions and development in Romania and in the region. This includes the acquisition of a plot for a development in Timisoara and the buying of a commercial centre with extension possibilities in Romania, as well as the acquisition of rights related to a commercial centre in Budapest, Hungary. ", the release also showed. In 2012, NEPI finalized the acquisition and leaseback of a retail asset (including an additional plot) from Mobexpert. The assets are adjacent to the strip-mall developed by NEPI in 2011 and the Carrefour hypermarket in Braşov. The acquisition was made with the intention to combine and develop the properties into a regional centre. Initially, NEPI and Carrefour wanted to develop up to 57,000 sqm in Brasov, but then decided to enlarge the area dedicated to the mall. For this purpose, negotiations are being held for the acquisition of a 7,000 sqm plot near NEPI properties. The mall will be extended to approx. 65,000 sqm rentable area and will be integrated with the 13,200 sqm of retail in the vicinity. The completion of the project is scheduled for 2014. In November 2012, NEPI announced the acquisition of a 12,700 sqm plot in Galati. „The group bought the plot for the development of a retail centre anchored by a hypermarket and several international brands. Considering the strong request of the tenants, the group intends to develop a commercial centre on the location. The process for obtaining the permits is goes according to the plan. The construction works of the first phase, of approx. 30,000 sqm will start as soon as the construction permit will be obtained. ", the company’s February financial report shows. Last year, NEPI partnered with Benevo for the development of the former Vulcan platform, with a commercial centre of 25,500 sq. m, anchored by a hypermarket and several international brands. The first tenants are Carrefour and KFC. NEPI’s report shows that the discussions with several international retailers for renting the premises go well. However the Urban Area Plan was approved in December 2012, later than anticipated. The construction site organization has started, and the works will start when the construction permit will be received. If no delays of the authorisation process, the project will be inaugurated at the end of this year. (source: economica.net)