Coworking in Arabic: ABCN considering Korston or Grand Hotel for new project
The international network is planning to open a branch in Kazan by the end of the year, in Moscow and St. Petersburg — by 2020
Alliance Business Centers, an Arab network specializing in rental services, is choosing the site for its second project in Kazan. As Realnoe Vremya found out, Korston and Grand Hotel are being considered as the location for coworking of business and economy segment. On an area of 1,500 square metres, the company is planning to equip 160 work places, investing 30 million rubles in the project. Read the details and estimates of experts in our material.
News from Dubai
The international Arab network Alliance Business Centers is looking for a site for its second branch in Tatarstan, which in the future may become the central office in Russia. The company has repeatedly announced about its plans to establish another business centre. At 2017 KazanSummit, Sharif Kamel, the president of Alliance Business Centers in Russia, the Middle East and Africa, told the field editorial board of Realnoe Vremya that the second office would appear next to the Investment Development Agency by 2018, and by 2022 their number in Tatarstan would grow to four, including, perhaps, in Innopolis.
''Kazan for me is a great market, many companies would like to enter there. We offer an excellent solution for this,'' Kamel commented on the company's plans.
Let us remind that Alliance Business Centers opened the first branch in Kazan in 2016 in Korston. The company invested $2m in it, and now the premium business coworking is 100% occupied — there are 10 residents.
A year later, a business centre near the Investment Development Agency still didn't appear, but the plans were not forgotten. As the press service of the Tatarstan president informed, on April 9 Rustam Minnikhanov met with the president of Alliance Business Centers Network, Sharif Kamel, and the management of the multinational company within Alliance Network prior to the opening of VIII Annual Investment Meeting Conference in Dubai. As it turned out, the management of the network was satisfied with the work of the business centre in Kazan and did not leave intentions to expand its presence in the region.
Now for business segment
As Aida Sitdikova, the director for development of ABCN in Kazan, told Realnoe Vremya, today the issue with the site for the new business centre remains open. Apparently, the first location — Korston — perfectly satisfies the company as particularly the shopping area of the centre is considered as the most likely place for the project. Besides, two floors in Grand Hotel are being considered as an alternative.
It is assumed that 160 workplaces will be equipped on an area of 1,500 square metres. The volume of investments in the project will amount to 30 million rubles, the planned opening deadline — by the end of this year. If the first branch on the top floor of Korston is attributed to the premium segment and is focused on the leadership, then the new centre will be ranked lower – business and economic segment. According to the director for development of ABCN, the company initially planned to cover all three segments, and the first office was only part of the project.
As advantages of the project Aida Sitdikova called a wide range of services, including secretarial, courier support, office management, translation services, catering and others. In addition to the full organization of the working space, ABCN offers special conditions for the companies involved in exports to the countries of the Persian Gulf and provides easy access to the database of contractors in countries where ABCN is present.
''The project is particularly popular among representatives of international companies as the staff speaks fluent English and residents have the opportunity to use the network of offices, consultative services in the countries where ABCN is present,'' says the director for development.
The company decided to refuse another its branches in Kazan, which were announced by 2022. But it continued the expansion in Russian market. In addition to Kazan, ABCN is planning to open one office in Moscow and one office in St. Petersburg by 2020.
With chances for success
When the Arab network entered the market of Kazan, where there had been no such projects before, few believed in its success. However, time has shown that there is a demand for so-called elite coworking in the city. Murat Akhmerov, the director of A-Development, calls the format of ABCN's work as unusual and believes that the new project will be in demand in Kazan for the business segment.
''Their advantage is that they create some kind of infrastructure — it is an elite, premium coworking, if you can call it so. I think it is really interesting because the landlord does not stand still, he develops, transforms, acquires some hybrid forms,'' Akhmerov commented.
The expert notes that no one can guarantee success in advance, but he believes that the project has every chance for it. Ilya Kuznetsov, the head of the department 'Russian Regions: corporate services' at Cushman & Wakefield expressed solidarity with his counterpart.
''The project is very promising, given the success of the first object of the company. It can be of interest to a wide range of customers who understand the essence and quality of service'' Kuznetsov said.
According to the expert, the second project is advisable to open in Grand Hotel because in this way the company will expand both the range of positioning and geography.