Tabakko: from business office to newly built residential location
It has been a few months since we delivered Tabakko: the dust clouds around the building have settled and the new residents now really feel at home. The team at Waarborg looks back on 1.5 years of construction with a positive and grateful feeling. The Tabakko that we have realized together with the architect of SKETS, contractor Plegt-Vos, the municipality of Groningen and the residents, is a construction project that we can be proud of!
Project developer Peter Liewes looks back on the Tabakko trajectory. From the very first resident halfway through the previous century to now; he tells you all about it.
“The Koeriersterweg 25 has housed quite a few different groups over the years. For example, until we started working with Waarborg for Tabakko, the old building served as the office for Stichting Mee NL for many years. And before that, the Groningen Chamber of Commerce had its registered office there for many years. The location was also once considered as a petrol station for Shell. However, the Groningen planners ultimately decided to relocate the Groningen Ring Road, so refuelling on the Koeriersterweg was no longer necessary. A bomb shelter was also once built under the building to protect the residents of the Laanhuizen district in the event of nuclear attacks from elsewhere in the world.”
In the building and around the location, quite a lot has happened over the years. Peter Liewes: “And now we have made sure that it is entering a new phase and purpose: living.”
Special plans for the future
“Right at the start of the planning, the intention was to transform the existing (old) building into smaller residential units, so-called studios. After a study with SKETS architecture studio and a few exploratory discussions with the municipality, it turned out that the municipality was changing course with regard to its housing policy. The municipality wanted to get rid of the proliferation of studios: more larger apartments (min. 50 m2) for starters (or young people) was the wish. For us, this meant going back to the drawing board and getting started with new plans to realize a suitable and profitable project at this location on the Koeriersterweg.”
“And we succeeded: we designed the Tabakko project: a total of 56 homes, 25 of which were in the existing section and no fewer than 31 new-build apartments. Above all the apartments, there had to be a large roof terrace with a view of the railway, the Niemeijer tobacco factory and the city itself. That terrace and a freshly designed garden had to be built for general use. The plans also included a parking lot directly next to the new building, for the benefit of the residents. And the old air raid shelter would be given a new purpose as a communal bicycle shed.”
Let's build!
“With practical construction plans in hand, we were able to start; the starting signal sounded in mid-2017. Construction began and in 1.5 years we built Tabakko. The initial planning was a bit shorter, but unfortunately after the start it soon became apparent that there was more asbestos in the building than was initially stated. Our construction plans had to be put on hold for a while: with the help of men in white suits, all the asbestos was carefully removed. And then we could really start building: our contractor Plegt-Vos started work immediately after the summer holidays in 2017. The new construction went smoothly and the contours of Tabakko soon became visible.”
And then: the new construction
“Transforming the existing building was a bit more involved than the new-build apartments,” Liewes reveals. “The old building consisted of various rooms and had been expanded and added to considerably over the years. There were also considerable height differences between the floors. In order to be able to deliver the planned high quality, we had to invest extra time in the transformation. All this ultimately ensured that the building was delivered two months later than initially planned. But,” Liewes emphasises, “the result is really beautiful. From the outside, the special laying patterns in the outer walls are particularly striking and the inside exudes a dynamic, young atmosphere due to the bright blue colours and the use of signage.”
Full house
“Waarborg, Plegt-Vos and the residents worked hard to make the building even more of a home. All apartments were rented from day 1, which is great for the landlord, but also for the tenants themselves! Possible inconvenience caused by moving, drilling and traffic due to moving vans was over in a few days, instead of having people hammering and moving every other week.”
A project of all of us
“And we at Waarborg: we look back on a pleasant collaboration and a great result. It was important for us to involve important stakeholders in our plans from the start. For example, before we started, we contacted the directly adjacent neighbours to explain our plans. The entire collaboration process – with the municipality, the architect, the contractor Plegt-Vos and other directly involved parties – went very well. Yes, as with every construction process, there are always things that do not go as planned, but we believe that with Tabakko we have added something beautiful and sustainable to the housing stock for the city and the surrounding area. We are very satisfied!”