Creating new context

The draft design for Prinsenpassage - a part of Bogaard Stadscentrum - is ready. There will be an extra 150 homes above the shops and in a residential tower, the shopping arcade will be moved, the roof will be green and the shopping centre will undergo a metamorphosis. In de Bogaard shopping centre was built in 1963, according to the American model. Mayor Boogaardt took his inspiration from 'The American Mall' in San Francisco. Sixty years have passed. 'The shopping centre is outdated. There is pressure on the retail. We need to give De Bogaard a new purpose,' says Yarrid Knijnenburg, project manager at SB Real Estate, the owner of Prinsenpassage. Future proof In February 2021, SB Real Estate became the owner of Prinsenpassage, the part of De Boogard that borders on Bogaardplein, Prins Constantijn Promenade, Bomenplein and Steenvoordelaan. 'We aim to make Prinsenpassage future proof. If we don't do something now, we will suffer the same fate in 3 to 5 years as De Terp and Sterpassage - the shops will disappear. Since we became the owner, vacancy in Prinsenpassage has been reduced to almost zero; new local entrepreneurs have settled, and also well-known brands such as Action and Blokker.' Greenery Part of the plan is to add extra greenery, inside and out. 'The entire roof will be green and there will be greenery on the edges of the building that can be seen at street level. Inside the building, on the façade line of the first floor, there will be a green wall. It's our way of helping Rijswijk municipality to achieve its ambition of becoming the greenest city centre in the Netherlands.' Shops will stay open Updating the current Prinsenpassage fits perfectly into the Master Plan for the future of Bogaard Stadscentrum. "In concrete terms, that means the addition of around 150 homes above an upgraded shopping centre with plenty of greenery,' Yarrid adds. Demolishing the current building is not necessary to realise these changes. The modifications needed will be carried out while the shops stay open. De Walvis will disappear One element of the plan is that some of the shops on the first floor will make way for loft homes. 'The loft homes, with generously high ceilings of 4.5 metres, will have a closed-off green courtyard garden, 17 metres wide. High-quality living, surrounded by greenery, in the best spot,' according to Yarrid. And the aim is to have the internal shopping arcade move to have a direct connection to the multi-storey car park. The plan provides for a new residential tower on Bogaardplein. And lastly, a third residential level will be added on the outskirts of the centre and both entrances will be modified. The huge, outdated awning on Bogaardplein ('de Walvis' - the whale) will disappear. That will bring more light and openness to the whole area. Local businesses Shops and businesses for more everyday goods and services will be concentrated in Prinsenpassage. With country-wide formulas but plenty of room for several local businesses too. There will be a street in the shopping arcade for fresh produce - fish, cheese, bread and meat - opposite a supermarket. In the future, Action will relocate to the first floor of the interior arcade. Bogaardplein will have hospitality venues and Prins Constantijn Promenade will be the place for fashion and lifestyle. Making a success of it Prinsenpassage is positioned at the front of De Bogaard, making it the face of the shopping area. 'This area has huge potential, with all the elements of the Masterplan and the population growth. The positioning is ideal, close to the multi-storey car park, bike parking, public transport and Rijswijk station - everything you need to make a success of it,' says Yarrid. 'Rijswijk is growing by 45%, with an increase in the number of inhabitants from 55,000 to 80,000 in 2040. In and around De Bogaard, there will be an additional 2,500 homes; that means 7,500 residents. With the extra homes in Prinsenpassage and an updated range of shops, we're giving the outdated shopping centre a new lease of life and Bogaard Stadscentrum a new, future-proof appearance.'

De Aarhof is on the brink of a radical overhaul. Until then, much work is going into creating a lively centre with a diverse range. For example, De Aarhof has recently been enhanced by fashion stores Jeans Center, Only, Belluna, By Louloe Fashion and Lemonade. Janse Mode has moved to a modern store at the entrance to the shopping centre, in the Van Mandersloostraat, ready for the future. Wine lovers will welcome the excellent addition of La Bodega '87. And the wonderful initiative Kledingbank Groene Hart recently opened its doors. With such a strong selection of entrepreneurs, the shopping centre will retain its position in the city centre. That role will only be reinforced by the revitalisation.

Partly due to an intensive process with a group of specialists and advisors, SB Real Estate is able to continue with the redevelopment of De Aarhof shopping centre. The flexibility of the plan enables the compensation of current market developments through smart optimisations without having to make concessions to quality and urban planning starting points. The 'extreme makeover' of De Aarhof will transform the function of the shopping centre into a more everyday one by the addition of a second supermarket and various fresh food shops. And the first hour and a half of free parking, already realised, is an important step in this redevelopment. Plus, more than 300 homes for a range of target groups will be added to the complex. So, filled with enthusiasm, SB Real Estate is headed towards the next milestone: the permit application around the middle of this year. Renovation Aarhof costs more than 100 million euros, but there will be new shops and 300 homes: ‘Go ahead' | Don't miss these stories from Groene Hart | AD.nl (only in Dutch)

Precisely four years ago, Heino Vink and Marcel Kokkeel set up a business under the name Glow Real Estate. There were also a number of activities carried out under the name Everglow Real Estate. Now that we have several strong partners and clients (such as HAL Investments, HighBrook and Mitiska) on our side, we're no longer a start-up. We have 17 enthusiastic professionals and we're ready for the next step. As of January 2023, all current activities will be brought together under one name: Everglow.

Prinsenpassage, the shopping centre that is part of Bogaard Stadscentrum, will offer scope for more housing, an updated range of retail, restaurants and more greenery.