Start of renovation and new use of Stapelhuis Entrepot
Renovated Stapelhuis Entrepot will bring companies active in water-related activities to Port Oostende.
Port Oostende is building for the future! This is the slogan with which Port Oostende announces the official start of the renovation of the Stapelhuis Entrepot. The building, situated at the East quay of the Vlotdok, was constructed in 1908 in a monumental neo-classical style. After the building permit was approved for the renovation and new use of the historical building, Artes Group will start the works on the site on 15 November 2021.
From three to five floors
The four façades will be completely renovated and everything inside will be completely renewed. Currently, there are three floors (-1, 0 and 1). Two more floors will be added (2 & 3). The gross surface area will be 3417 m². The business premises will be finished shell so that the companies that move in can decide on their own layout. The top floor (490 m² net surface area) will be fully finished with, among other things, a seminar room. The view of the harbour channel will be phenomenal. The expressive roof construction will reinforce and upgrade the monument into an architectural masterpiece.
A unique project on a unique location
It is a unique project in which future, present and past merge into one whole. In close consultation with the Heritage Agency, the port authority, together with top architect LMS Vermeersch, developed a well-thought-out plan. The building will be given an economic function while retaining its link with maritime activity.
A unique location, perfectly accessible, next to the water and with a modern interpretation in a historic setting. In the course of 2023 this piece of top architecture will become the home base of innovative companies that will help build the future of Port Oostende.
"Thanks to the constructive cooperation with the Heritage Agency we can give this historic building a modern and economic interpretation. From 2022 onwards we will actively put the business premises on the market and look for companies with water-related activities. The unique spaces, located next to the water, are extremely suitable for these companies. This will give a new boost to employment in the region."
"This project is an upgrade of the entire site around the Vlotdok. The adjacent Customs building and the Harbourmaster's building were thoroughly renovated earlier this year. It proves that the care for the patrimony can go hand in hand with the future vision of Port Oostende."
"This architectural gem will be a real landmark in our City by the Sea. The port is our historical heart, but also our future. This new development will benefit maritime activity in Ostend."
"The Stapelhuis Entrepot is an exemplary project for the heritage policy in Flanders. Heritage care must go hand in hand with an innovative approach to the heritage site. In this project, all the pieces of the puzzle fall together: this building is revalued from its historical context and interacts with the policy of the Port Oostende. Thus, with a contemporary time layer, we pilot our immovable heritage into the future."
About Port Oostende
The Port of Oostende focuses on continuity, growth and employment based on five pillars: Blue Economy, Bulk & Project Cargo, Cruises & Roll-on roll off, Circular Industry and the Fishing Industry. These sectors will be further developed with two principles in mind: prioritizing safety, health and the environment and, secondly, supporting innovation and development.
