The Swiss telecommunications and software development company “Swisscom” has signed a lease agreement with Riga’s greenest office complex “Verde”, becoming its first anchor tenant.
The contract provides that from the summer of 2022, “Swisscom” will rent one floor with an area of almost 1,500 m2, and from the summer of 2024, it will rent a total of three floors with an area of 4,000 m2 with a private terrace of 200 m2.
“Swisscom” is the largest provider of telecommunications services and one of the leading IT companies in Switzerland, which already at the end of 2020 announced plans to build its second DevOps center in Riga by 2025, located outside of Switzerland, with an investment of up to 20 million euros. The company has set an ambitious goal to create one of the leading technology development centers in Europe in Riga.
“The choice in favor of the “VERDE” office complex is logical and natural. First of all, because we can grow together with “VERDE”. In accordance with our 2025 growth strategy, we plan the numerical composition of our team every year. This year, from 40 employees to 120 employees, in 2023 to 200, and at the end of 2024 – up to 280 employees. Here we will be able to gradually grow along with the development of the office complex itself. Secondly, sustainability is one of Swisscom’s strategic priorities, with another challenging goal of achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2025. In this sense, our values are in line with those of “VERDE” and we see that together we will be able to realize this goal. And, thirdly, the location of “VERDE” and the provided infrastructure perfectly meet the needs of us as a company and our employees,” comments Elīna Branta, product manager of Swisscom DevOps Center Latvia, on the conclusion of the lease agreement with “VERDE”.
“Although the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected our habits and the organization of work life, the world’s leading IT, financial and other companies see their future development largely in relation to creating an attractive, flexible and collaborative work environment for their employees. We will provide exactly such amenities in combination with a private 200 m2 terrace to one of the fastest growing IT companies in Latvia – “Swisscom”, comments Iveta Lāce, commercial director of the “VERDE” office complex.
“Since the summer of 2021, the office market has gained momentum both in Riga and in the other Baltic capitals. Many companies have already developed a strategy for their future work model, which foresees changes in the functionality of the premises to accommodate hybrid work – in the office and remotely. We have observed that tenants are becoming increasingly demanding regarding the quality, sustainability and internal climate of office space. Newcomers to the market – financial, IT, professional service companies and start-ups, as well as global business service companies – are looking at Riga as their home with great interest. In this regard, Verde’s modern and green offices in the center of Riga are a comfortable and strong foundation on which to build a future office that can adapt to business needs,” adds Āriks Bergmans, Colliers Baltics partner and head of the agency.
It has already been announced that the leasable area of the two “VERDE” buildings will be 30,000 m2, while the total area, including the underground parking lot, which has already been built, will be 45,000 m2. Each building will have 11 floors, a 600 m2 wide terrace, lushly green and equipped with outdoor workplaces, as well as other extras. The first or A building will become the first and only A-class office in Riga, which will be opened this year, in June. On the other hand, the opening of building B is scheduled for May 2023.
“VERDE” office complex The construction process of the object according to its developer – “Capitalica Asset Management” is managed by “Notus Developers”, a subsidiary of “SBA Group”, while the general builder of the project is construction company SIA “Velve”. The leasing process is provided by Colliers, the leading real estate agency in Latvia. In general, more than 65 million euros will be invested in the development of “VERDE”, and it will be the first project implemented by “Capitalica Asset Management” in Latvia.
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