Bucharest maintains a steady flow of new office developments, with nearly 170,000 square meters of projects scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2027, according to the latest Bucharest Office Marketbeat Q3 2025 report from Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. Despite a 25% drop in total leasing activity compared to last year, demand remained solid, with companies leasing 197,200 sqm in the first nine months of 2025, with more than half representing new demand.

With no new office buildings delivered this year, the vacancy rate fell to 12.8%, its lowest level since late 2020, the same report said.

Bucharest’s modern office stock now stands at 3.43 million sqm, accounting for 15% of all office space in Central and Eastern Europe. The Romanian capital trails major regional markets such as Warsaw, Budapest, and Prague, but remains ahead of Sofia and Bratislava.

Office spaces cumulating 75,800 sqm were transacted in Q3 in Bucharest (the highest quarterly volume in 2025), thus bringing the YTD gross take-up to 197,200 sqm, which reflects a 25 % year-over-year decrease. The highest demand came from the Center-West submarket, followed by Floreasca–Barbu Văcărescu, and Dimitrie Pompeiu and the CBD.

Construction momentum is also building. Two new projects started in Q3, pushing the development pipeline to 169,500 sqm GLA, all of which scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

Madalina Cojocaru, Partner, Office Agency, Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, stated: “AFI Europe, Forte Partners, Vastint, PPF Real Estate, and NEPI Rockcastle are among the most active office developers, with projects of EUR 200–250 million being under construction in Bucharest. We are seeing a recovery of interest in both office development activity and in the acquisition of such properties, coming from Romanian and foreign capital. Nevertheless, development activity remains, for the time being, at a low level.”

The pipeline includes large-scale projects in the city’s most dynamic business districts, such as Vastint’s new 55,000 sqm phase of Timpuri Noi Square, PPF Real Estate’s 30,000 sqm ARC project, NEPI Rockcastle’s Promenada Offices, and One United Properties’ project One Technology District. 

Moreover, AFI Europe has started construction on AFI Central Tower, a redevelopment project of the former Bancorex building, with a GLA of 28,000 sqm, while Forte Partners is developing U-Center III, totaling 12,500 sqm.

According to the same report, prime rents remained broadly stable in Q3. Asking rates in the CBD averaged EUR 20–21 per square meter per month, with higher levels in premium buildings, while central and semi-central areas ranged from EUR 15 to EUR 18.50. Limited rental growth is expected over the next 12 to 18 months, mainly in submarkets with strong demand and low vacancy.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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