BPI Real Estate and LIFE acquire site of former John Martin brewery at Park Spoor Noord in Antwerp
BPI Real Estate and LIFE acquire site of former John Martin brewery at Park Spoor Noord in Antwerp
26.02.20

BPI Real Estate and LIFE acquire site of former John Martin brewery at Park Spoor Noord in Antwerp

At the end of 2019, project developers BPI Real Estate and LIFE joined forces and purchased the site of the former John Martin brewery in the Stuivenberg district of Antwerp, between Stuivenbergplein and Park Spoor Noord.

Working together with architectural firm BOLD, the developers plan to transform the site into a creative hub, weaving together work, recreation and living and having a positive impact on the entire neighbourhood.

The site occupies a total area of 5,141 m² and comprises the sheds, offices and warehouses of the former John Martin brewery. The developers are aiming to build around a hundred units. The architects based their design on the three central pillars of identity, collectivity and creativity.

The point of departure for the project’s identity is the history of the site and the Martin family brewery.

The family was eager to further convey their heritage by developing and running a microbrewery in the very location where their great-grandfather set up the business so long ago. Moreover, everything will be done to retain the valuable historical features including the ware­house, the chimney and the margarine factory and incorporate them into the project, particularly because they contribute to the neighbourhood’s identity.

As far as collectivity is concerned, every effort will be made to create spacious, high-quality areas for both the residential components and the tradespeople, offices and workshops. A unique 350m² common dining, reception and living area will be at the core of the residential component, where residents can together relax, hold meetings, and where the youngest members of the community can play in a safe, covered indoor area. The development of a central green courtyard is also part of this concept. The project encompasses much more than a purely residential development. The architects and developers are also eager to fulfil a social role and devise a high-calibre project that embraces both inclusion and diversity.

The project’s creativity focuses primarily on the former warehouse and workshops. Together they occupy some 5,500 m² and they will be renovated with due care and attention. This is where a creative hub of companies will arise, which will have made a conscious choice to establish themselves in an up-and-coming neighbourhood and in a building with both unique dimensions and charm. Storage, tradespeople and offices, creative and possibly even supporting occupations will all have the opportunity to move into a building that will become a beacon for the neighbourhood and a vibrant melting pot of activity.

The redevelopment of the John Martin site is in keeping with BPI Real Estate’s ambition to consider innovative projects for tomorrow’s multicultural cities with a human dimension at their heart. Alongside other projects in such locations as Antwerp, Lot-Beersel, Knokke and Tervuren, the company intends to continue broadening its scope across Flanders in this way.

Pour de plus amples informations

BPI Real Estate

Michele Stynen
- Marketing & Communication Officer BPI Real Estate

Mstynen@bpi-realestate.com

+32 (0)2 661 14 91

About BPI Real Estate

BPI Real Estate is a high-end real-estate developer with branches in Belgium, Poland and Luxembourg. The company draws upon over 30 years of expertise and is mainly active in the development of housing, offices, commercial premises and service real estate.

BPI Real Estate addresses the energy-related, social, architectural and technological aspects of the design right from the outset, allowing it to develop innovative and environmentally friendly urban designs that result in a harmonious and extremely pleasant living environment.

BPI Real Estate is part of the CFE Group, a Belgian industrial group founded in 1880 that is active in three different fields. The first, the Dredging, Environment, Offshore and Infra division, is supplied by DEME. The second, the Contracting division, takes in construction, multitechnics and rail activities in Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland and Tunisia. The third, the Real Estate Develop­ment division, groups together the real-estate projects developed by BPI Real Estate in Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland.

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About LIFE

We as developers have a fantastic impact on everyday life.

Our projects determine tomorrow’s living environment and give colour to the lives of people living and working there. None of their lives are typical, each and every one is unique and diverse. And that is why we focus on identity and the creation of a unique character, meaning that our projects will never be stale and boring. Our preference for beauty and existing heritage, augmented by an inclusive vision of society and a life-cycle cost approach.

As a developer, final investor and property manager, we are acutely aware that our responsibility does not end at the provisional acceptance stage and we create and manage unique environments in which there is simply more space for people to live.

Bricks as a means, not as an end…

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