This paper discusses the changing retail property structures in Central Europe in the aftermath of the integration of these countries in the global economy. In general, within the property market, retail real estate is the market sector that is most affected by internationalization. Therefore, this sector is relatively transparent compared to the office and residential markets. The macro-economic transitions in Central Europe and the integration of these countries in the world economy opened these markets to international retailers. As a result, the retail scene in these countries, combined with the structure of the retail property stock, has changed dramatically. In the late 1990s, Central Europe experienced a retail development boom driven by international hypermarket operators and speculative developers. Shopping centers and hypermarkets became important elements in the urban landscape. However, lack of planning and vision led to chaotic development, and oversupply was the outcome. In the future, public and private actors will need a vision of how the city should develop before embarking on flagship urban projects.
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