Amsterdam, 6 September 2017
Multi Netherlands has started the works on the major city centre project at FORUM Rotterdam, located between Rotterdam’s most important shopping streets, Coolsingel, Binnenwegplein, Lijnbaan and the ‘Koopgoot.’ Once complete, FORUM will comprise 64,000 sqm of space for shops, food & beverage outlets, offices and 103 apartments. Investors in this multi-functional city centre project include Syntrus Achmea Real Estate and ASR Property Fund NV for the shops on the Lijnbaan. Syntrus Achmea is also investing in the realisation of the planned residential complex. FORUM tenants will include the Rotterdam bookshop Donner, international fashion retailer Primark, an ABN AMRO bank and offices, and a popular American hamburger restaurant Five Guys. The project involves a total investment of around EUR 195 million. FORUM will be completed in various phases throughout 2019.
Managing Director at Multi Netherlands and Belgium, Francoise Dechesne: “Multi is proud! FORUM Rotterdam will breathe new life into a well-known, extremely dominant location in Rotterdam’s core shopping district, and give Rotterdam’s city centre a new face. This is a major multi-functional redevelopment and a perfect example of the transformation and intensification of the use of space in a city centre. In two years’ time, Rotterdam will have a new iconic spot in the city centre.”
Listed building
Part of the renovation includes the eye-catching listed building on the Coolsingel. ABN AMRO will return to this location with offices and a bank. The famous Rotterdam bookshop Donner is already situated in this building and will relocate in phases to its final location, complete with entrances on the Coolsingel and on the Binnenwegplein central square. This new two-storey shop will be the largest bookshop in the Netherlands. We will also welcome a number of new shops on the ‘Koopgoot’ side of the building. Multi is the owner of this listed building, which is already more than 85% leased.
Retail
The shops on the Lijnbaan, which include the brands Hollister, ICI Paris XL and G-Star, will be redeveloped with a new facade and a revised lay-out, to give new and existing tenants the chance to showcase their products to the centre’s visitors. Syntrus Achmea and ASR Property Fund NV will retain ownership of these shops. A new Primark store will occupy the centre of this project, between the listed building on the Coolsingel and the shop on the Lijnbaan and will run from the ‘Koopgoot’ right through to the former Jungerhans building on the Binnenwegplein central square. American hamburger chain Five Guys will be opening a restaurant on the ‘Koopgoot’ side of the project.
Residential complex
The former office block located in the centre of the redevelopment will be transformed into a residential complex with 103 apartments in the liberalised mid-rental segment. Syntrus Achmea RE&F has acquired these apartments from Multi on behalf of its clients.
Design
The FORUM project was designed by an internationally renowned architectural team that included OMA and Wessel de Jonge Architecten.
