A contract has been signed by AM Vastgoed and Interpolis Vastgoed for the sale of the Hoochwoert shopping center in Woerden, which Interpolis is purchasing on behalf of Stichting Pensioenfonds Rabobankorganisatie. The total capital cost of this project will be around €68 million. The Hoochwoert center, with a gross floor area of 9,300 m², is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in late 2006.
Hoochwoert, which is being developed by AM Vastgoed, is a town center redevelopment project in the heart of Woerden. As well as shops, the project includes a 520-space underground car park on two levels and 74 residential units. The car park will be purchased by the Woerden municipal authority and the residential units will be sold individually.
The project is located within the pentagonal ramparts which enclose the historic heart of Woerden, on the site where the Castellum once stood in Roman times. Work on the project was preceded by extensive archaeological investigation, one result of which was the discovery of a Roman ship, the ‘Woerden 7’.
Design
The master plan for the Hoochwoert project was produced by T+T Design in Gouda, AM’s design bureau. The project consists of five buildings, varying in size and scale to fit into the densely packed street plan of the existing central zone. Architectural variety was achieved by employing three different architects, all with a wealth of experience of working in historic town centres: Jo Crepain (Belgium) and Groeneweg & Van der Meijden and Rappange & Partners (Netherlands). Part of the project involves the transformation of a barracks dating from 1790 into shops and housing. While the project is under construction, the municipal authority will renovate the adjacent public spaces and reroute the traffic flow around the centre. When all the work is completed, the quality of the town centre will be greatly enhanced and the well-judged expansion of the retail facilities will make it a powerful magnet for shoppers.
Source: AM