The former Athenaeum of Jemappes transformed into housing
The former Athenaeum of Jemappes transformed into housing
Six buildings are to be built on the site of the former Athénée de Jemappes, providing accommodation for 54 households.
The site of the former Royal Athenaeum in Jemappes has been looking for a new destination for years. Disused for decades, it has become a cancer in the heart of the city, wedged between the Rue des Représentants and the Avenue de la Faïencerie.
But this time we have never gone so far in its potential reconversion. The company Health Invest, based in Bornem in the province of Antwerp and owner of the 1.3 hectare site, has applied for a permit to build a complex of 54 flats divided into 6 buildings, an underground car park with 54 spaces and a residential park. The project is subject to a public enquiry, which ends on 7 July.
Originally, 61 flats were planned on the site of the former school, but the project was recalibrated after dialogue with the city. In the end, 25% of the site will be built on, with the rest being given over to green spaces. As the car park will be underground, there will only be about ten spaces on the surface.
It should be noted that the historical building of the Athenaeum dating from the 18th century will be preserved, as will the surrounding wall. “The historical imprint of the site will therefore be preserved,” said the alderman for urban planning, Maxime Pourtois, recently in the columns of the DH.
Er zij op gewezen dat het historische gebouw van het atheneum uit de 18e eeuw behouden zal blijven, evenals de omringende muur. “De historische afdruk van de site zal dus behouden blijven”, zei de schepen voor stedenbouw, Maxime Pourtois, onlangs in de kolommen van de DH.
The flats will have one to two bedrooms. The buildings will also include eight social housing units, which will be managed by the Social Housing Agency (AIS).
Beyond the project, the alderman is pleased to see that Jemappes is attracting investors. “On the other side of the road (Avenue de la Faïencerie), Concept Confort is developing flats. These types of projects allow us to reintroduce diversity.
After the public enquiry has been completed, the municipal college will issue an opinion. The empowered official of the Walloon Region will then rule on the permit application.
Megadeal AG Real Estate in Mechelen
4 February 2020
New partnership between AG Real Estate and Vooruitzicht in Mechelen
Right before the new year, AG Real Estate and Vooruitzicht reached an agreement with the Beherman family to acquire the grounds of Park Ragheno NV in Mechelen.
In acquiring these 11 hectares, which account for about one third of the development potential at the Ragheno site, AG Real Estate and Vooruitzicht obtained a key position on said site, together with the companies MGRE and NMBS (Belgian Rail).
The Ragheno site already plays host to the headquarters of the Red Cross, Wolters Kluwer, the fashion group FNG and a regional headquarters of De Lijn [Flemish public transport]. The City of Mechelen wants to upgrade it by drawing up a Spatial Implementation Plan (SIP), with mixed functions at its core.
The draft Master Plan, which has already been approved, provides for some 2500 housing units, 140.000 m2 worth of office space and additional urban features such as schools, a large recreational park and community facilities to accommodate the evolving needs and growth of the City of Mechelen. This upgrade will be launched with Galapagos, a biotech company, which has applied for an environmental permit for its headquarters.
Located near the Mechelen railway station, which is also to be upgraded, the site is strategically located in terms of mobility and accessibility, with major cities Antwerp and Brussels being under 22 minutes away. This project is a sequel to the successful cooperation by and between AG Real Estate and Vooruitzicht which originates in the collaboration on the Regatta project in Antwerp.
About AG Real Estate
AG Real Estate, a wholly owned subsidiary of AG Insurance, is an integrated real estate operator active in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and on certain European markets with expertise in different lines of business: Asset & Property Management, Development & Construction Management, PPP and real estate financing, as well as in Car Park Management through its subsidiary Interparking.
A city stakeholder, AG Real Estate has a workforce of more than 250 employees with varied profiles and skills. With a portfolio under management (for its own account and on behalf of third parties) of more than €6.5 billion, AG Real Estate strives to address responsibly the new urban needs and is implementing a sustainable development policy to give even more sense to its projects.
About Vooruitzicht
Vooruitzicht has been building and developing property in and around Antwerp for more than 115 years. Quality is very important to us. You can see this quality in every aspect of our new-build projects. We always select top locations in terms of accessibility, public transport, greenery and parks, culture and shops. This is combined with stylish architecture that fits perfectly with the way we live today and with modern standards. We consider these basic requirements for houses and apartments that offer added value.
Our aim is to make life in the areas developed by Vooruitzicht as pleasant as possible, so that residents feel completely at home. This means that we think not only about project development, or where people want to live, but also about neighbourhood development, or how people want to live. We therefore take the needs of all interested parties into account, including local residents, buyers, renters and/or investors.
Vooruitzicht also offers all elements of project development under one roof. What our customers like about our way of working is the fact that we manage everything ourselves, from the very beginning to completion. This means that our clients communicate directly with someone from Vooruitzicht during every phase they are involved in, which goes a long way to explaining the high quality standards we set for ourselves.
Today, Vooruitzicht is still known primarily for its property projects in and around the city of Antwerp, such as Land Van Hop and the Stadsfeestzaal, Zuidervelodroom, the Vismijn, Hippodroom, Hemixveer, the Regatta district in Linkeroever and many more. We now have a second location in Turnhout, home to the Heijzyde project
Renovation hall complex next to De Motte SME Park
New impulse for business activities in Mechelen
Renovation hall complex next to De Motte SME Park
Project developer Olivier Beherman has applied for a building permit from the municipality of Mechelen for a major renovation of a number of factory halls on the Ragheno site that connect to the old Ragheno hall where Peugeots were made until 1975.
The renovation concerns various spaces with a total surface area of 2500 m². It is not a supplement but a continuation of the rehabilitation process of the local SME zone.
The existing building will be brought as much as possible back to its original appearance. The coatings added later are removed and the brick walls are restored. The shed roof will be replaced and extended over the entire length of the existing building. To meet contemporary needs, the building is divided into different entities and equipped with new gates, integrated into the existing section of the facades. The updated units are intended for rental.
The vacant site for the shed will be furnished with ample parking spaces that will be embedded in landscaping on site. The works will be carried out by Vulsteke Industriebouw from Kortemark, who previously realized the SME park De Motte with 14 new business units next to the hall complex. Olivier Beherman hopes that renovation work can be started shortly.. Afterwards, the large Peugeot hall will be tackled in collaboration with the public actors.
The renovation of Résidence Gabriël in the centre of Nivelles
The renovation of Résidence Gabriël in the centre of Nivelles
The renovation of Résidence Gabriël in the centre of Nivelles is nearing completion. The outside wall and the roof of the compound are completely renovated and with its contemporary black and white look it provides extra flair to the environment. It is expected that the last interior works will take another four weeks, and then the residential-commercial compound can be delivered in the course of July.
Health Invest ordered the renovation of the building in March last year. A month later, the demolition of the interior of the old apartment building started. This operation turned out much more laborious than initially thought. The complete interior work needed to be fully renovated, from the walls to the wiring and from the glazing to the roofing, which has now been completed.
Résidence Gabriël consists of six modern apartments varying in size from 70 to over 100 square metres of living area, with one or two bedrooms and/or terrace. Several units have already been sold. The ground floor has 350 square metres of commercial area. To be organised as one or two shops. More information about this project is available elsewhere on this site under Résidence Gabriël.
Information:
Mr.Olivier Mathurin
Immobiliere Sogefi
Square Gabrielle Petit 5
1400 Nivelles
Phone: 067/ 213 006
Mobile: 0479/ 214 127
Gabriel and Corso, projects with ambition
Gabriel and Corso, projects with ambition
Health Invest to start construction on two ambitious projects in Wallonia in March 2015
Project developer Health Invest has completed the financing for two small-scale but ambitious projects in Wallonia. A dated residential and shopping complex in Nivelles – Residence Gabriel – is to be comprehensively upgraded, while in Mons the former Le Corso cinema is to be converted into a residential complex with 17 luxury apartments. The building permits for both projects were obtained last year, and Health Invest will start construction in March.
Residence Gabriel is in the centre of Nivelles on the corner of Place Emile Delalieux and Rue Saint George. The town has become an excellent housing alternative for people working in the relatively expensive Brussels conglomeration.
Once the renovations – using sustainable high-quality materials – are completed, Residence Gabriel will consist of six apartments and two shops on the ground floor. The larger apartments will be around 100 m² and the smaller ones 70 m2, all with a balcony and/or terrace.
The apartments are divided over two floors. The two commercial units on the ground floor are a total of 350 m2 in size, and are perfectly suited for shops catering to a variety of sectors. After renovations are completed Health Invest will market the residential units at very competitive prices, starting at 162.700 euros.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Olivier Mathurin
Immobiliere Sogefi
Square Gabreille Petit 5
1400 Nivelles
Tel: 067/ 213 006
Mobile: 0479/ 214 127
PROJECT ‘LE CORSO’
Health Invest will create 19 residential units where the old cinema hall stood, all of high architectural quality, giving occupants the opportunity to live in luxury surroundings in the centre of Mons. The architectural plan sees the units located on the site of the Corso and consists of 19 different residences, ranging from studio flats to one, two and three bedroom apartments. The size of the apartments ranges from 57 to 140 m².
This diversity caters to the demand in the city for a range of accommodation types, creating the greatest number of opportunities and satisfying the present standards in terms of energy quality. Fourteen parking spaces finish the project off. The rear side of the units is open, so as to enjoy the excellent location and views of the enclosed garden. Each apartment is perfectly finished and equipped with everything that a modern household might want and desire.
The most significant characteristic of the project is the presence of a great deal of vegetation on each floor, and of the large green-filled patio within the apartment complex. Prices start at 161.460 euros.
For further information, please contact:
Mrs. Ilona Sekula
Health Invest SA
Mobile: 0476/606 537
The Le Corso project arose when the city of Mons and developer Health Invest expressed a desire to create a new and harmonious residential space in the centre of the historic city. Le Corso was once a renowned cinema in the heart of the city until it was repurposed.
Project Albert-Elisabeth Mons succesfully sold
Project Albert-Elisabeth Mons succesfully sold
Health Invest acquired last year with a group of investors the apartment complex Albert-Elisabeth in Mons with the intention to sell the ten separate residential units at competitive prices on the market.
After obtaining the necessary permits this transaction completed successfully. All apartments (three-, two-and-one-room) and the garages (for one, or multiple vehicles) have now been sold.
The fact that the city of Mons-despite the economic crisis-pretty flourishes and in 2015 – together with the Czech city of Pilsen – will act as European cultural capital certainly influenced the rapid sale of the apartments.
Health Invest remains active in the city and now focuses on the transition of the former Corso Cinema in a modern, luxurious and durable built apartment complex. For more information on the Corso project, see elsewhere on this website.