Manhave Vastgoed about urban development

The development in the Lumière area

Steven: "When we talk about the development of this part of the centre, we are talking about the Lumière area, the Kruiskade, a part of the Lijnbaan and the Karel Doormanstraat. Manhave owns a number of eye-catching locations in this area, such as the Dream House retail property, on the corner of Kruiskade and De Karel Doormanstraat, and City House."

"At the moment we are investing a lot of our energy in developing The Lobby and in a few years we will start building the multifunctional complex Lumière. One thing is certain, we are not standing still and we want more from this area. We are developing a unique area in the city where living, working and shopping go hand in hand."

Living, working & shopping? Is that your own idea?

Steven: "No, that is in line with the ideas of my grandfather and architect Hugh Maaskant, the designer of our City House flat and for instance, the Euromast, the Groothandelsgebouw and the Rotterdam Hilton Hotel. The term living, working & shopping is part of his vision for a liveable city. The idea of ​​densification was very important here: the aim to accommodate multiple ambitions and functions in one place, such as living, working & shopping, and then developing it sustainably, so that everything is guaranteed for a longer period of time. My family and Maaskant have all come up with what we are doing here."

Edwin: "You can now see this densification everywhere in urban developments. Maaskant formed his ideas in America about the development of urbanized areas of world cities. Call it a megalomaniac metropolitan atmosphere. That is where buildings such as the multifunctional Lumière Tower fit perfectly. A building with a residential and office layer, with shops on the ground floor, and possibly even with a hotel function, a theatre and a movie house."

Will this neighborhood become a Manhave neighbourhood?

Steven: "No, naturally we are not the only ones developing here, but as a local involved party we provide extra added value in this area so that all Rotterdammers can benefit from it. As a company, we have always opted for quality, because we develop, build and own buildings for the long term. You want to take good care of that and see it this way: based on the idea of sustainability and out of respect for the post-war Rotterdam architects, we leave the construction of the existing building standing, and of course that is at the expense of part of our profitability. We think that is less important than the importance of the city."

Edwin: "Manhave – and our approach – has become a household name over time. We are now an established name. Of course there will be people who recognize our buildings and style on the Kruiskade and the Karel Doormanstraat, but that's okay. We also always think carefully about the layout of the public space and give it back in better quality to the community after all adjustments have been made."

Steven: "We don't want to be the largest or the best, but simply deliver very good quality to our partners, as we call our tenants. This also means to the consumer and that for a long period of time. Moreover, when executing our plans, we involve the most important stakeholders. We inform residents and together with the municipality organize participation opportunities and write to the VVEs in the area."

Manhave Vastgoed's vision for the future

Steven: "We will continue to create a sustainable, exceptional place of international quality and allure in this area. High-quality and innovative, matching the centre of Rotterdam. I would prefer to envision an area with a psychological entrance and an exit where the consumer experiences that an inspiring atmosphere has been developed with quality and love."

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