Kroonenberg Groep has signed a long-term lease agreement with J. van den Berg Pharmacy for the building located at Binnenban 172-176. The leased property consists of approximately 245 m² of ground floor space and a 100 m² basement. The lease will enter into effect on 1 May 2021 and, after a short installation period, the pharmacy will open its doors for the summer.
Kroonenberg Groep is currently working on the redevelopment of the shopping center in Hoogvliet.
In the past period, a total of 37 apartments were realised in former retail buildings at three locations in the center. Due to the success of these apartments, it was decided to continue this redevelopment and 10 apartments are now being developed above the renovated Dirk at the site of the former Bristol.
Kroonenberg Groep will also explore the possibilities of further optimising the shopping center and adding more homes.
Kroonenberg Groep is advised by BRIQ real estate for the commercial rental of Shopping Center Hoogvliet and by Synchro Wonen and RIVA Makelaars for the rental of the properties.
Kroonenberg Groep has reached an agreement with Molly’s Arena for the long-term lease of Osdorpplein 771-775 in Amsterdam. To make this transaction possible, Kroonenberg Groep merged 4 retail units where Specsavers and Prenatal, amongst others, were previously located.
From the summer of 2021, gamers of all levels will be able to show off their skills at Molly’s Arena in Amsterdam. With the slogan ‘Fun & food is our game’, this new arcade brings together old skool games, high tech VR games and traditional Japanese ramen. It’s a culinary gaming paradise for everyone. The arcade hall stands out with its Japanese anime-style gaming experience. From the outfits of the employees to the décor and the Japanese street food – everything exudes anime and Japan.
With the arrival of Molly’s Arena, Kroonenberg Groep is responding to the increasing demand for more leisure options in the shopping area. The lease will enter into effect on 1 April 2021.
Kroonenberg Groep was advised in this transaction by KroesePaternotte.
A really worthy collaboration started three years ago: Kroonenberg Groep entered into a lease agreement for the Voedselbank (food bank) for 2 refrigerated vans to collect fresh produce from supermarkets. These vans travelled throughout Amsterdam daily to ensure the quick and proper transport of all that fresh and healthy food.
Now that the world looks a little different, the challenges facing the food bank are also different. In recognition and support of this, Kroonenberg Groep has signed a new 3-year lease agreement for a Volkswagen Crafter with a tail lift. This new van means that the food bank will have more space and therefore more opportunities for efficient transport.
The COVID-19 crisis has also had a major impact on the Amsterdam food bank. The number of customers has grown by more than 45% since the start of the crisis. As a result, they have to tackle the challenge of providing nearly 4,800 Amsterdam residents (including 1,750 children) with a weekly food package. Not only does this require sufficient donations from producers, supermarkets & individuals, it also has a major impact on logistics and the supply of food donations. The new van will be able to make an important contribution to the daily transport of food.
For Lesley Bamberger, CEO of Kroonenberg Groep, extending the collaboration with Voedselbank Amsterdam was a given: “These times require seeking out good initiatives in the city that need support. We think it is really important for us to contribute in this way to ensure that the food bank is able to meet its ever-increasing logistical demands.”
Voedselbank Amsterdam is particularly pleased with the support it has received from the Kroonenberg Groep because this new van really simplifies the logistics process, which in turn enables them to provide the growing number of customers with food every week. Kroonenberg Groep helps ensure that Voedselbank Amsterdam can continue to make an important contribution to preventing food waste on the one hand and helping to combat poverty on the other.
Kroonenberg Groep has reached an agreement with BCC for a long-term lease in the Gelderlandplein shopping centre. BCC will be housed in the retail premises located at Gelderlandplein 128-130, where Cotton Club is currently located. The leased property concerns approximately 530m² on the ground floor and 60m² on the mezzanine level. The lease will enter into effect on 1 April 2021 and BCC will open its doors after a short installation period. With 60 shops, BCC is one of the largest and most successful electrical retailers in the Netherlands.
A new long-term agreement has been entered into with Cotton Club, which is part of The Sting. Cotton Club will move to the central square within Gelderlandplein. The shops that previously housed Esprit, IKKS and River Woods have been merged to create a new shop where Cotton Club will present its latest concept. The leased property concerns approximately 575m² on the ground floor and 125m² on the mezzanine level. The lease will enter into effect on 1 March 2021 and the shop will open soon.
A new long-term agreement has also been concluded with Esprit. Esprit has moved within Gelderlandplein and is now located between Zwartjes van 1883 and the entrance of Bristol. The lease entered into effect on 1 January 2021 and concerns approximately 210m². The new shop will open its doors as soon as the current COVID-19 measures are lifted and shops are allowed to reopen.
Kroonenberg Groep is advised by KroesePaternotte in leasing properties at Gelderlandplein.
Kroonenberg Groep has reached an agreement with Swapfiets for the long-term lease of the property at Molukkenstraat 200 in Amsterdam. Swapfiets will rent the entire property, consisting of approximately 1,400 m2 of office space.
The building was built in 1955 as head office for the Koninklijke Utermöhlen bandage manufacturer and was later used as a commercial building, but it no longer met current requirements. A major renovation was therefore in order, while keeping as much of the original architecture as possible. The architect Heyligers did the drawings with a focus on light and sustainability, which includes a gas-less climate installation and replaces the window frames with similar triple glazed, insulated aluminium profiles. To further emphasise the light in the building, a glass elevator shaft with a slender steel staircase was installed that connects the three floors and highlights the spaciousness. The windows in the lower office floor have also been significantly enlarged.
The entrance has been restored to its former glory, with an added touch of contemporary comfort. Electric sliding glass doors and a spacious and transparent entrance hall welcome the new tenant.
Swapfiets is the world’s first ‘bicycle as a service’ company. Founded in 2014 in the Netherlands, it quickly grew into one of Europe’s leading providers of micromobility. As of September 2020, Swapfiets has more than 220,000 members in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France and Italy. The concept of Swapfiets is quite simple; for a fixed monthly fee, Swapfiets members always have a working bike. Swapfiets is available in more than 25 towns and cities in the Netherlands.
The completion of the office building at Molukkenstraat 200 almost finishes the transformation of the entire area. In 2018, the part that had been used as a furniture shop for years was delivered to AH XL after a major renovation. A new car park on the roof was also realized. In 2020, the car park for Praxis was also refurbished and a passage was created to connect the Praxis and Albert Heijn XL premises. The last retail spaces will also be rebuilt this year, which will provide a further 1,100 m2 of retail space. Also located at this site along with AH XL and Praxis are Big Bazar and SmartFit.
Kroonenberg Groep was represented in this transaction by Van Gool Elburg in collaboration with Van Dijk & Ten Cate.
Claus Company will open the Element hotel in Amsterdam on the 3rd of January 2021. By doing so, Claus Company strengthens the continuity of the family business. The hotel brand is part of the Marriott International chain. Element Amsterdam, that initially opened its doors in 2016, is located at Gelderlandplein in Amsterdam South and boasts 160 spacious rooms, focusing mainly on extended stays.
CEO Rick W. Claus: ‘Opening a hotel in Amsterdam has been on our wish list for quite some time. The Element hotel has the perfect location, it is the perfect brand, and yes: this opportunity came at the right time.’ Claus Company is owner and franchisee of the 4-star Courtyard by Marriott Amsterdam Airport hotel for 20 years and is therefore familiar with the franchise formula of the world’s largest hotel chain. Together with real estate owner Kroonenberg Groep, Claus Company has full confidence in this step.
The right time
Despite the corona crisis, Claus Company trusts it is the right time to expand. Claus: ‘Times are tough, but the market will recover. Our family business exists for 50 years and has a long-term vision. Investing in a hotel expansion is in line with that vision.’ When both Marriott and Kroonenberg Groep approached them for this project, it immediately felt like a match. It also offers the opportunity for employees to work in both hotels. ‘This way we succeed in retaining the talents in our company.’, says Claus. In addition to this expansion, Claus Company intends to open their successful restaurant formula Barraca in the Element hotel during the second half of 2021. According to Claus, it is the ideal location for an upscale Brazilian restaurant experience which is in line with the hotel concept, the luxury shopping center and the business target group of the Zuidas.
Kroonenberg Groep about this collaboration
‘We are delighted with an entrepreneur like Claus Company at Gelderlandplein.’, says Lesley Bamberger, CEO Kroonenberg Groep and owner of the shopping center. ‘Gelderlandplein is renowned for its personal approach, service and customer focus. Many of the shops located in the shopping center are family businesses that have been here for decades. Claus Company fits in perfectly.’
The acclaimed The Art of the Brick exhibition by the American artist Nathan Sawaya is temporarily coming to the Netherlands. Starting on Thursday 10 December, more than 100 unique works of art built with over one million LEGO® bricks can be seen in the Kalverpassage on the Kalverstraat in Amsterdam. The exhibition will be on display in the former Hudson’s Bay store. The rented property has a floor area of 4240 m².
The Art of the Brick was hailed by CNN as one of the ten must-see exhibitions in the world and has already attracted millions of visitors worldwide. After the major success in 2014, The Art of the Brick is finally back in the Netherlands. The exhibition has doubled in surface area and now shows more than 100 works of art. Added to the exhibition is the stunning In Pieces gallery, a multimedia collaboration between Sawaya and award-winning Australian photographer Dean Wes.
Organizer The Experience Providers has joined forces with NEMO Science Museum and Kroonenberg Groep to bring The Art Of The Brick to the Netherlands.
CEO Daniëlle van de Beemd from The Experience Providers: ‘These times have caused complex challenges for everyone. Many activities have been stopped or cancelled due to the Covid 19 measures. We saw an opportunity to temporarily bring The Art of the Brick to the Netherlands in a fantastic collaboration with Kroonenberg Groep and NEMO Science Museum. In these complicated times, we’re proud to be able to bring a bit of wonder and inspiration in a safe environment to the people of the Netherlands.’
Lesley Bamberger, Managing Director of Kroonenberg Groep: ‘We hope that this fantastic public exhibition will give a positive boost to the public’s experience on the Kalverstraat and attract more people to the city centre. This is our way of stimulating the business climate for all shops and companies in the immediate vicinity during these times of everyone keeping a 1.5 metre distance.’
Kroonenberg Groep has reached an agreement with DHL Express for the long-term lease of a property at Contactweg 22 in Amsterdam. From this branch, the express carrier handles the collection and delivery of time-critical shipments destined for the centre of Amsterdam. Cargo bikes are often used for this purpose, which promotes green urban logistics. The rented property involves approximately 240 m² of commercial space and 165 m² of office space. The lease commenced on 01 October 2020.
DHL is an international subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL. DHL Express is primarily known as an international courier company for the shipment of parcels and letters.
Kroonenberg Groep was assisted by GA Makelaars for this lease.
Kroonenberg Groep has reached an agreement with Big Bazar for a long-term lease for the property at Burgemeester van Hoofflaan 21 in the centre of Veldhoven. The leased property concerns approximately 830m² of retail space on the ground floor and 490m² of storage space in the basement. The lease commenced on 1 November 2020. After a brief installation and set-up period, Big Bazar will open its doors to the public on 3 December.
Big Bazar is a relatively young and new retail formula. They opened their first store in 2007 in Apeldoorn and there are now more than 160 branches in the Netherlands and Belgium. Big Bazar stands for affordable shopping in a fun and friendly environment. It offers a wide range of products, which includes cleaning items, household items, personal care items, toys, hobby and craft items, pet supplies, decoration, sweets and chocolate.
Kroonenberg Groep was advised by RSP Makelaars on this lease.
Vacant first floor space has been a long-term issue in shopping centres. Especially when the range of shops is fairly saturated. This was also the case at Hoogvliet Shopping Centre. Owner Kroonenberg Groep saw this as an opportunity to concentrate shops on the ground floor and develop homes on the first floor.
It started with a pilot in 2018 in which eleven homes were built on a number of empty shopping centre floors. It turned out to be a success, with all the properties renting out very quickly. For this reason, seven more homes were recently built in various locations in the shopping centre and were also quickly rented out. Nineteen new apartments were completed above the Albert Heijn this week.
Michiel Schröder, project developer at Kroonenberg Groep: ‘We’re happy to see how successful the creation of homes has been. Together with the estate agent we looked closely at the demand in Hoogvliet. There appeared to be a housing shortage, with a particularly high demand among two target groups: younger couples from the neighbourhood and elderly people who like to live close to a shopping centre.’
The houses are delivered move-in ready and are equipped with a spacious living room, luxury open kitchen, underfloor heating, 2 or 3 bedrooms, complete bathroom and a surprisingly large outdoor space of 25 m² on average. The living areas range from approximately 90m² to 115m².
A uniform appearance was selected for the exterior of the homes, with the same facades and window frames. All have a view of a lovely courtyard, which is not visible from the outside. Michiel Schröder: ‘We have put a lot of energy into creating a comfortable and luxurious feeling, which enables us to offer tenants more liveability than you would expect at this location. This is also reflected in the use of high quality materials and the high level of finishing. People who have seen them have been pleasantly surprised by what they see.’
The shopping centre’s exterior was worked on while the houses were being built. Both Albert Heijn and Dirk van de Broek have impressive new entrances, shops have been equipped with new frontage and everything has been repainted. This has given the entire area a major facelift, which is good for attracting people to the shopping centre. The construction of 10 apartments will soon get underway above the renovated Dirk, the location of the former Bristol.
In the near future, Kroonenberg Groep will continue to explore the possibilities of further optimising the shopping centre and wants to eventually add about 25 additional homes.