Rolandas Šležas, CEO of SBA Urban’s Urban HUB business and retail campuses, sees clear signs of business efficiency – stock-office space in Urban HUB projects in Vilnius and Kaunas has already been leased for over 30,000 sqm of modern office space, and the tenant base ranges from specialised service companies to sports arenas.
Cutting costs without abandoning ambition
Although businesses are clearly aiming to reduce expenses this year, they are not willing to give up their growth plans or professional ambitions. On the contrary, R. Šležas advises that companies are looking for cheaper yet better spaces for expansion. He explains further:
Susiję straipsniai
Stock-office-type spaces allow you to have everything in one modern building: a retail or exhibition area, an office and a warehouse. It allows companies to consolidate multiple locations and bring their main operations under one roof. Businesses come to Urban HUB precisely for this reason – they want everything in one place. In both the Vilnius and Kaunas Urban HUB projects, a company gets a new building, good transport connections, free parking and strong neighbouring businesses. Everyone benefits: employees, clients and the business itself.
The need to optimise costs is particularly evident in office space. Companies are looking for cheaper yet high-quality alternatives to city-centre offices, where both rental and utility costs are highest. That is why the Urban HUB projects in Vilnius and Kaunas offer compact office spaces of 100–200 sqm. ‘Compared to the city centre, rent here can be up to half the price, and by offering some of the lowest service charges on the market along with spacious free parking, we provide a real alternative to costly central locations’, R. Šležas explains.
Sustainability is no longer a choice – it’s the standard
Today, in the commercial property leasing market, the winners are those who can offer more than just an attractive price per sqm. Companies are increasingly choosing partners capable of combining cost savings with high sustainability standards – not as a bonus, but as a necessity.
R. Šležas:
Clients are looking for rental spaces where implemented solutions help them save even in the long term, and meet the principles of sustainable operations. At the Urban HUB campuses in Vilnius and Kaunas, we are installing systems that significantly reduce electricity and water consumption: the buildings’ A++ energy efficiency rating ensures that minimal energy is needed to heat or cool the premises throughout the year; the smart building management system remotely monitors and optimises energy use; and the nearly 500 kW solar power plant installed on the roof of the Vilnius campus this August directly contributes to lower electricity bills.
Recently, the Urban HUB projects also received the BREEAM New Construction Excellent certificate – one of the most highly regarded sustainability credentials in the international market. R. Šležas believes this is important both for global tenants and for local companies that want to work in a modern, responsibly designed infrastructure.
R. Šležas shares (ar koks kitas labiau tinkantis čia žodis)
SBA nuotr.
Beyond all the technical solutions, for example, in Kaunas we delight our business community with some unique neighbours – beehives installed next to the business and retail campus. The flower gardens around Urban HUB Kaunas provide bees with nectar sources, and the honey they produce becomes a pleasant gift for new tenants. It’s a small symbol, but it perfectly reflects our approach to the environment and the community.
At the centre of all major routes
Another priority for businesses when looking for new spaces is a convenient location, with easy access for both clients and employees, as well as efficient logistics for goods. According to Rolandas Šležas, it is precisely these three factors that have determined why both Urban HUB campuses are located not in the city centre, but in strategic locations – near the main A1 and A6 roads in Kaunas and the A2 in Vilnius. He points out that such locations allow companies to save time, simplify logistics processes and be more easily accessible to a broader client base:
Business and retail campuses on the outskirts of major cities are more in demand than ever. For a long time, supply near the Kaunas LEZ and towards Avižieniai from Vilnius was limited, with most available spaces concentrated in the city centre. For this reason, Urban HUB campuses have become particularly attractive to a variety of sectors – from the Gym+ fitness club, padel arenas and gaming rooms, to extreme sports facilities and retail spaces.
R. Šležas concludes:
The creation of a comprehensive service network is one of the biggest advantages of the Urban HUB projects – it provides significant added value for both businesses and visitors, as the campuses foster a strong, complementary business community. Here, people can work, shop, visit a pharmacy and exercise. If you live nearby, you don’t even need to go into the city – all services are available in one place.
The premises are also designed to accommodate the diverse businesses interested in renting space. The Urban HUB projects feature high ceilings, flexible partition systems and the ability to merge or divide spaces to meet tenants’ specific needs.