Stokado, the second largest operator on the fast-growing Polish self-storage market, owned by Redefine Properties (JSE:RDF) Griffin Capital Partners and the founders, has started construction of a new, state-of-the-art self-storage facility in Cracow. Spanning 5,000 sqm of Net Leasable Area (NLA), this facility will be the first BREEAM-certified self-storage building in Poland and marks Stokado’s first development project since its acquisition by Griffin and Redefine in 2023.

Strategically located on Sosnowiecka Street in Cracow, near major retail outlets and residential areas, the new Stokado facility will offer flexible storage rental options for both individual and business customers. This modern, fourth-generation self-storage building is designed with customer convenience in mind, featuring solutions that enable fully contactless service. The facility will be accessible 24/7, with a mobile app available for clients to manage their rentals and access their storage units. Additionally, a packing material store will be available on-site to enhance the customer experience.

This building will be the first self-storage facility in Poland to achieve BREEAM certification at Very Good Level, reflecting its commitment to top-tier sustainability standards. The project will incorporate photovoltaic panels, heat pump, and energy-efficient LED lighting to significantly lower both operational costs and environmental impact.

Pieter Prinsloo, Chief Executive Officer at Redefine Europe BV, says: "The four leading European markets – the UK, France, Germany, and Spain – make up 68% of the total number of self-storage spaces in Europe. In Poland there is 4,600 sqm of self-storage space per million inhabitants, which is 17 times lower than in the UK, 4 and 6 times less than in Germany and Spain respectively. This indicates that the Polish market is still in its early stages of development. We believe that our partnership with Griffin and the founders of Stokado, Klaudiusz and Dawid Bechcicki will enable Stokado to quickly become the market leader, setting standards and trends in the industry. Our new investment in Cracow, which will be the first self-storage facility in Poland to receive BREEAM certification, demonstrates our commitment to this strategy."

Hubert Rossa, Senior Vice President Investments at Griffin Capital Partners, adds: "Stokado is one of our newest platforms, so we are delighted to be already launching our first development project. Alongside the Cracow facility, we have already secured other sites for construction in Cracow and in Warsaw that we will start building still this year. We will be announcing further development projects in the coming months. We are confident that our initiatives will significantly contribute to the dynamic growth of the self-storage market in Poland, providing customers with modern and convenient storage solutions.”

Construction is expected to be completed in Q3 2025.