For NSI taking care of cultural heritage is part of its corporate responsibility. NSI has four buildings classified as monuments in its portfolio, in which it invests to ensure that they meet today’s requirements, while respecting their historical character. This way, the beauty of these monumental buildings, and the story they tell about the past, will be preserved for future generations.
For NSI taking care of cultural heritage is part of its corporate responsibility. NSI has four buildings classified as monuments in its portfolio, in which it invests to ensure that they meet today’s requirements, while respecting their historical character. This way, the beauty of these monumental buildings, and the story they tell about the past, will be preserved for future generations,
VEERKADE IN SCHEEPVAARTKWARTIER
HISTORICAL BUILDINGS IN ROTTERDAM
Centrally located between the Maas Tunnel and the Erasmus Bridge, Scheepvaartkwartier district is a historical building in the centre of Rotterdam that was spared from the bombardments of WW2.
With 97 listed buildings, more than any other district of Rotterdam, this is a truly unique part of Rotterdam. NSI’s 5.785 sqm buildings at Veerkade 1-9 in Rotterdam look out onto the historic Veerhaven harbour and the impressive Kop van Zuid docklands.
At present the buildings at Veerkade 1-9 are fully let. Tenants praise the historic character of the building, the location with its views over Veerhaven and its situation directly on the banks of the river Meuse. Consequently they are prepared to pay higher levels of rent than in other parts of the city. NSI continues to invest in these buildings by modernising and optimising the communal spaces and creating roof terraces for the tenants.
Veerkade 1-9 still has a lot of potential. If the buildings were ever to be restored to their original residential purpose it is reasonable to assume that they would rise sharply in value. Luxury apartments and penthouses in similar monumental buildings in the Scheepvaartkwartier district command an asking price of around 7,500 euros per square metre. Veerkade 1-9 is currently valued at 2,900 euro per sqm.
DE RODE OLIFANT
ICONIC BUILDING IN THE HAGUE
The Rode Olifant (‘the Red Elephant’) is one of most iconic buildings in The Hague. Covering over 10,000 sqm, The Red Elephant is an imposing building built in the Amsterdam School style, an architectural style known for its use of brick for structure, a rounded appearance, decorative masonry, and ‘ladder’ windows.
It is strategically located along the access route from the highway to the city centre. The prestigious building that was being built by the American Petroleum Company, had to be taller than that of rival Shell, which was located close by on the other side of the Malieveld grass field, resulting in a tower of 56 metre height. The building owes its name to a sculpture of an elephant’s head in the towerand thered-brown colour of the 3.5 million bricks used in the building.
As a result of the acquisition of Vastned Office/Industrial, NSI became the owner of the Rode Olifant in 2011. At the time the building had a lot of overdue maintenance, and it was not suitable for multi-tenant use. In 2012, NSI restored this monumental building to its original state by reinstating the original height of the spaces, repairing the coffered ceilings and concrete structure, restoring the natural stone stairs and walls, and reinstating the atrium’s layout. The massive renovation also included installations and related systems, improving the energy label from G to A. Also was the building now equipped for multi-tenant use, meaning that it now suited to the concept of Spaces, which has been the single tenant since 2012.
THE ATLANTA BUILDING
BRICK BUILDING IN AMSTERDAM’S CENTRE
The circa 6,500 sqm Atlanta building at Stadhouderskade 5-6 in the city centre of Amsterdam was completed in 1929 and acquired by NSI in 2021.
Whilst the asset is in an excellent central location nowadays, as the city has sprawled over the years, it was a far from ideal office location at the time: outside the historic city centre and far from the stock exchange area, where most economic activity was concentrated.
The previous owner started a major renovation, adding new elevators and focussing on improving the sustainability of the building. The rear façade has been insulated, window frames were replaced and a heat pump was installed, improving the energy label from F to A. In 2018, the building was classified as a municipal monument by the city of Amsterdam.
The architect F.A. Warners was far ahead of his time: the property was built on an almost square plot with a concrete structure. This ensured that a flexible layout was possible so that tenants could organise their space according to their own requirements. Very beneficial to its current use, as it is now being leased to flexible office operator WeWork.
BENTINCKHUIS
ICONIC BUILDING WITH A RICH HISTORY
Bentinck Huis is an iconic building located at Lange Voorhout 7, one of the most beautiful and best-known streets of The Hague. This national monument has a rich history that stretches to well over six hundred years.
The first mention of a property at Lange Voorhout 7 dates back to 1415. The timeline of Bentinck Huis, which for centuries housed many important politicians, is closely linked to the development of the nearby houses of parliament ‘Binnenhof’ and Lange Voorhout, the pre-eminent avenue in The Hague. The building owes its name to own its previous owners back in 1700, Count Hans Willem Bentinck.
NSI acquired Bentinck Huis in 2018, and subsequently transformed it to a highly sustainable building, including the latest technologies, whilst fully respecting its historical grandeur. The building, now having an energy label A and a BREEAM-NL In-Use Excellent certificate, is fully let to the Dutch Central Government Real Estate Agency (Rijksvastgoedbedrijf).
