“The site’s potential is now being brought into concrete form.”
Drogenbos / Sint-Pieters-Leeuw – 11 September 2024 at 10:07
After the demolition works and remediation, redevelopment specialist Futurn has started the reconstruction of the former Catala paper mill business site. The site is being given a new lease on life with a mix of business buildings, set in an attractive environment with extensive green-blue integration around the iconic water tower. Project developers Futurn and Straco Real Estate are ambitious: careful use of space and integration into the surrounding environment are the key pillars of this sustainable business park.
Futurn consistently opts for redevelopment locations where demand for business space is high and where business parks create added value for both entrepreneurs and the surrounding neighborhood. Managing Partner Frederik Baert explains: “This redevelopment provides strong impulses for further economic development in the region. This is also reflected in its commercial success: the business units were almost entirely sold in no time. In addition, we have already signed an agreement and are in negotiations with several parties for a tailor-made building on the designated plots.”
In a first phase, contractor Vandenbussche, on behalf of Futurn, will start the construction of two multi-tenant business buildings. Together, they will comprise 38 high-quality business units. Almost all of these have already been sold, but companies looking for spaces of up to 750 square meters can still contact Futurn with their accommodation needs. In addition to the two business buildings, a parking structure has also been permitted to serve the companies on the site as well as neighboring companies Façozinc and Fluxys. The parking facility will provide space for 240 cars, thereby relieving the immediate surroundings of on-street parking.
Companies locating in Catala Business Park will be situated in a green oasis. The site even includes a fish ladder in the area around the water tower, ensuring the migration of important fish species. The fish ladder is just one of many interventions implemented by developer Futurn to transform this historic industrial site into a unique business park on the southern edge of Brussels. The site will also be permeable for cyclists and pedestrians, and local residents will be able to enjoy the area at their leisure.
“This redevelopment once again puts our vision for commercial real estate into practice: we want to create space for economic activity in a careful and well-considered way, so that our real estate generates added value both for our clients and for the environment in which we develop,” says Baert.
“Catala Business Park not only offers high-quality accommodation for businesses; the River Zenne, the surrounding nature, and local residents play a prominent role in our vision.”
Space for business activity on one side of the river, space for living on the other. The Catala site combines—albeit on a somewhat smaller scale—residential real estate with space for economic activity. In the master plan, Futurn reserves a smaller part of the site for housing, which it will develop in partnership with Straco Real Estate.
“Drogenbos is a highly sought-after municipality to live in, thanks on the one hand to its favorable location close to Brussels, and on the other hand to the green surroundings of the Zenne Valley. Residents enjoy excellent mobility here without having to compromise on the village character. This therefore presented a unique opportunity to turn such an exceptional location—where the River Zenne meanders across the site—into a wonderful place to live. The project has been carefully designed and developed in collaboration with EVR Architects and will soon enter the permitting process. With respect for both nature and the character of Drogenbos, this project promises to be a significant added value for the surrounding area,” says Stefan Franck, Director of Project Development at Straco Real Estate.
Redeveloping an industrial site with such a rich history—the former location of the once-renowned Catala paper mill—is complex and requires cooperation between many stakeholders. Not least among them are the municipal authorities of Drogenbos and Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, as the site is located within the territory of both municipalities. For all its projects, Futurn focuses on maximum reuse and will thoroughly renovate both the water tower and the former director’s residence. Both historic buildings will be given an appropriate new function that will appeal to the companies on the site as well as the wider surrounding community.
Drogenbos / Sint-Pieters-Leeuw – 11/09/2024 at 10:07
