Facilities and 169 homes give major boost to the area.
Amsterdam, 21 April 2022 – As delegated real estate developer, Boelens de Gruyter has started the redevelopment of the De Ster building in Rotterdam into 169 free sector homes on behalf of and in collaboration with Profound Asset Management. In addition, the office building on the Schorpioenstraat will have a large number of facilities in the plinth.
The redevelopment of De Ster is the first large-scale project near intercity station Rotterdam Alexander. In collaboration with the municipality of Rotterdam, the area will be transformed from an anonymous and monotonous area into a vibrant center with living, working, shopping and leisure functions. Large-scale terraces will not only serve the residents of the new homes, but also the office workers and shoppers. Functions that are considered are a brasserie, café or restaurant. On the roof of the building there is room for a trendy rooftop restaurant with roof garden.
Modern appearance
The object, built in 1992 will be preserved and transformed into a sustainable residential tower. The current windows will be replaced and enlarged so that more daylight enters the homes. The façade will soon look completely new but will be almost completely reused. Bands are applied around the façade so that the building gets a new look that matches a residential building. The bands incorporate the balconies for the houses as well. There will also be a public-friendly, inviting transparent entrance, with glass fronts and high ceilings. The parking garage on the ground floor disappears and makes way for catering, such as a restaurant, lunchroom or coffee bar.
In total, the redevelopment, if completed in the first quarter of 2024, will result in 15,000 square meters of new living space and 1,000 square meters of facilities on the ground floor. Architectural firm Mecanoo of Francine Houben was responsible for the design, Van Omme & de Groot is the Rotterdam based contractor.
A nice place to live
The redevelopment of the De Ster building contributes to the transformation of the Rotterdam Alexander area from an anonymous and monotonous area to a vibrant centre with strong living, working, shopping and leisure functions. “The Alexanderknoop, the area around Alexander train station, will be the center of Rotterdam East, with shops, homes, offices, restaurants and public transport around the corner,” says Carlo Schreuder, director of the Existing City at the municipality of Rotterdam. “With residential building De Ster, there will be homes appearing on Alexanderplein for the first time. It will be a very nice place to live here, especially if Alexanderplein will soon be made greener and more attractive with trees, plants and benches to enjoy the greenery.”
“As a result, the demand for housing in this area has increased and we are delighted to be able to give this office building a new future,” says Rick Verstappen of Profound Asset Management. Maarten de Gruyter of Boelens de Gruyter adds: “Moreover, we contribute to reducing the housing shortage. We are proud that with the start of this redevelopment we are building two projects at the same time in Rotterdam and thus contributing to the development of the city in different places.”
About Profound Asset Management
Profound Asset Management provides high-quality fund and asset management for real estate funds, for both private and institutional investors. Profound has a proven track record in the field of (re)structuring of real estate funds, financing management and real estate portfolio optimization.
About Boelens de Gruyter
Boelens de Gruyter is a project developer with a wide range of projects. From large-scale residential and office developments to distribution centers. The developments are characterized by a strong focus on the users and the connection with the environment. The building is only the beginning for the developer. The real value is in its function, what happens in and around it. The first check focusses on what is already there: what can be preserved and what can be built upon. People are at the core of this: if we understand people better, we make better buildings. Examples of projects are the successful transformations of the Parooltoren and the Trouwgebouw on the Amsterdam Wibautstraat. But also the redevelopments of the former KPN buildings in Den Bosch and Venlo to new living/working and museum/work destinations respectively. Boelens de Gruyter is a partner in the transformation of the Canal Zone in Utrecht as well, where industrial sites will be redeveloped into the new green Merwede district in coming years.