At a ceremonial gala at the InterContinental Hotel Jan. 27, Quality Awards were presented to outstanding developments and companies in Central and Eastern Europe in 2004.

The top winners were the Arkadia shopping mall (pictured below) in Warsaw and the developer GTC. Arkadia was awarded as the CEE Retail Development of the Year 2004, and also received the Grand Award as the CEE Outstanding Development of the Year 2004. The mall, developed by BEG Group and Cefic, has collected a large number of other awards as well. For example, last year it was distinguished by the Integracje (Mainstreaming) association as the most disabled-friendly facility in Warsaw.

Glob Trade Centre, the developer which began operating in Warsaw 13 years ago and is now active in six countries, was named the best developer of 2004 and distinguished with the Grand Award as the CEE Outstanding Company of the Year 2004.

Awards also went to other Warsaw projects such as Crown Investments developed by Ghelamco-in the Office Development category, and the Opera building, handled by Dom Development-in the Residential Development category.

The title of the best Industrial & Logistics Development went to Budapest's Cefin Logistic Park, developed by Cefin Real Estate Romania. In the Commercial Development category, Budapest's Four Seasons Hotel (developer Gresco RT.) was awarded, while in the Mixed Use Development category-the Europa Center in Vilnius erected by JSC Hanner.

Apollo Rida was named best investor, and Aareal Bank-best Banking & Finance Company. Colliers International was awarded as best agency, and the title of best Retailer went to Poland's LPP company in Łódź, owner of the clothing brand Reserved. EC Harris was awarded in the Commercial Services Company category. The winner of the Grand Award for outstanding professionalism in the sector was Haris Van Luijken from Parkridge CE Development company.

Central & Eastern European Real Estate Quality Awards were granted for the second time this year by a 16-member international panel of judges, made up of CEOs operating in these countries. Among the awards, one was particularly important-granted to the most respected and prestigious representative of the community, a person who deserves this award not only because of their business achievements but also because of their personal merits. This year's laureate of the CEE Real Life Achievement Award was David Mitzner (pictured above), founder and president of Apollo Rida.

The presentation of the award to top executive Mitzner, received a standing ovation. Mitzner, born in Warsaw to a Jewish family, lost his close ones during the war and the Holocaust. After eight years in a Soviet gulag, he left Europe and arrived in New York without knowing the language and with only a few dollars in his pocket. He founded a company that eventually became a leading developer on the U.S. market. In the early '90s, Apollo Rida began operating in Poland, Mitzner's native country. The Ericsson Center, Park Tower, Renaissance Tower and Żerań Park are all projects that have been carried out in Warsaw by Apollo Rida. Mitzner's company also owns the tallest office building in the city-Warsaw Trade Center, and recently conducted the market's largest transaction-buying the Metro retail center chain for $1 billion.

The initiators and organizers of CEE Quality Awards are Central & Eastern European Real Estate Guides and Imagine Media Marketing & Events.