Belfius Insurance, the owner of the well-known Brussels premises, has just submitted a request for a permit to transform the lower floors of Passage 44. The purpose of the application, submitted to the Region, is to change the purpose or use of all or part of the current property by transforming, renovating and raising the lower floors of the building comprising the commercial spaces, the auditorium, Passage 44 and the offices (33,000 m²) on levels -2, -1, 0 and +1 into a university building. The beneficiary is the KU Leuven, which after the works should have some 16,000 m² of course, study and research space on 6 floors above ground added to the existing base. At the same time, Belfius Insurance submitted a request to the City of Brussels to terminate the public right of way that gave rise to the name of the premises concerned. This has been temporarily removed by the College.
Architects: a2o
Towards a Sustainable Future
Reconversion and renovation are terms that have become commonplace in the world of real estate in recent years. “If we all want to achieve the 2050 climate goals, something has to be done about our ageing real estate assets,” many real estate experts have been saying for some time now. From a historical point of view, renovation already adds value. “But even for industrial buildings that are not protected, a conscious choice is often made for redevelopment,” states Erwin Vrijens, Head of Real Estate at PMV, which has a wealth of experience in counselling and financing in the domain of sustainable area development and supporting real estate projects with historical or social importance.
Navigating Unprecedented Times
That we are living in extraordinary times is something the professional real estate market is aware of like no other. Whether developers, building owners, investors, consultants or users, they are all facing particularly challenging times. Colliers, a global leader in property services and investment management, realizes this too. In this article, David Vermeesch, Managing Partner at Colliers Belgium, takes us through the opportunities and challenges that the sector is currently facing and how at Colliers they are dealing with them.
Focus on the City of Brussels
‘Bruxelles ma belle’ or is it rather ‘Brussels is a hellhole’? Opinions about Europe’s capital differ around the world. But there is no doubt that Brussels is different from so many other cities and has its own identity. According to debate moderator and Brussels expert Jeroen Roppe, this is due to the various peculiarities that the capital has incorporated over the decades.
Outlook for Real Estate in Belgium
The past two years have not been a walk in the park for the real estate sector in Belgium either. Now that the corona crisis and the explosion in energy prices are behind us, everyone is looking longingly to the reset of the real estate sector. And there is hope for improvement.
Innovation Drivers in Real Estate
In 2024, the construction and real estate sectors are confronting a blend of new challenges: rising interest rates, lower sales, and expensive materials, in addition to historical issues like digitization lags, environmental concerns, and a labor deficit exceeding two million. It demands urgent attention and solutions to relieve these burdens off the sector.
– by Idriss Goossens, Founder & CEO of PropTech Lab
Reviving the Real Estate Markets: Navigating Uncertainty in 2024
As we step into the second half of 2024, the real estate landscape stands at a crossroads, caught between the promise of economic revival and the specter of uncertainty looming on the horizon. Let’s delve into the key factors shaping the real estate markets and explore the pathways ahead.
– by Patrick Luysterman, ex-journalist De Tijd and conference moderator at Realty 2024
