ANTWERP | Overhaul of Groenplaats and surrounding streets will start in 2025

In 2025, the Groenplaats will be thoroughly renovated. The Council of Mayor and Aldermen has now approved the final design. The Groenplaats will have a modern central access to its underground facilities such as the pre-metro and a new bicycle shed. There will also be a double row of new trees in a rectangle around the central part, future trees at the corners, and new benches.

In addition, the surrounding streets, which are due for renewal, will also be reconstructed. The city council and the district council of the district of Antwerp approved the preliminary design for this. After the reconstruction of the area, traffic will be safer, with more opportunities for pedestrians to cross.

“The Groenplaats will be given a new, contemporary, climate-robust and future-oriented design,” explains Alderman for Public Domain Erica Caluwaerts (Open Vld), both above and below ground with the premetro, water buffer and tree bunkers, are ambitious.

In the past, more than 1,800 Antwerp residents indicated during a participation round that they consider the catering industry and terraces, major events and accommodation important for the Groenplaats. fully comply with this.”

Reconstruction Groenplaats

The plans for the Groenplaats, the Eiermarkt and the Beddenstraat determine the location of the trees, catering terraces, benches, loading and unloading zones and passages for the fire brigade. They respond to the new climate challenges for greenery and water and shape the connection with the surrounding streets and buildings.

Above ground reconstruction

The Eiermarkt, Beddenstraat and Zwaluwstraat are being redeveloped from facade to facade. In the Eiermarkt there will be planting areas with large trees and seats for passers-by and visitors.

New trees, space for catering and events and heritage in the spotlight

The Groenplaats will receive new trees: a double row of trees in a rectangle gives the square a new green volume. The Peter Paul Rubens statue is given a new place within this rectangle and a water element is added. Here everyone can enjoy a pleasant stay or still enjoy events. Along the rows of trees, towards the facades, there is room for terraces of the many catering establishments, passage, and routes for emergency services and deliveries.

The double row of trees also provides shade and cooling. The corners of the square will have trees for the future, so that the green on the square can also be seen from the surrounding streets. Future trees are free-standing trees that are given plenty of room to grow and thus give a place allure and character.

An extra row of trees will be added on the south side, the side of the current entrance to the pre-metro. This widening with trees will form a buffer between the quiet courtyard and the traffic that continues to drive along that side. It will also become the new place for itinerant trading. The entrances to the premetro, parking and bicycle shed are located under the canopy of this wide row of trees.

The Cathedral of Our Lady, the protected historic facades and the Rubens statue continue to determine the image of the Groenplaats.

Amendments

The turning loop of the tram, the entrance pavilions to the car park, the kiosk and the entrance to the car park in the Eiermarkt will disappear, creating a more open square. The existing trees cannot be recovered and will be replaced by new ones that have a large underground root volume. This way they can grow into healthy mature specimens.

Underground innovations: space for trees and a rainwater buffer

The sewage system under the square will be renewed and installed in a separate system. In addition, the rainwater from the square and the surrounding roofs is collected. A large underground water buffer provides extra storage capacity in case of heavy rainfall to prevent flooding.

To give the roots of the new trees space and to provide them with sufficient water and nutrients, a well thought-out system of underground growth pockets has been developed. A connection is provided from the water buffer to the underground growth pockets so that the trees receive sufficient water and can grow into large, healthy specimens.

Connection square-surface

On the south side of the square, in the middle under the carré, there will be a central entrance to the renovated pre-metro station. Via stairs, escalator or elevator at the Schoenmarkt you first enter the underground entrance hall. It is designed as a clear, light space with short walking lines, long sight lines, transparency and flowing accompanying walls.

A place which connects the square, pre-metro, car park, bicycle shed and shopping centre. In this way, the subsurface becomes a real extension of the square.

Koen Kennis (N-VA), Alderman for Mobility, Tourism and Small Businesses: “The Groenplaats is of course also a mobility hub. The reconstruction offers us the opportunity to expand that mobility, and to make it clearer, safer and more comfortable for all users. With the underground bicycle parking, good for 420 places, we are removing a lot of parked bicycles above ground, which benefits the attractiveness of the square, and therefore also the catering industry.”

The new bicycle parking will be accessible via a new staircase with a slight slope and a bicycle gutter, which can also be used for cargo bicycles, on the side of the Schoenmarkt. The parking garage and the bicycle shed will have separate entrances to safely separate cars and cyclists.

The current entrance and exit to the car park on the Nationalestraat will remain and the entrance on the Eiermarkt will disappear. This will create more space for pedestrians and cyclists between Eiermarkt and Groenplaats.

Reconstruction of surrounding streets

The reconstruction of the streets around the Groenplaats is a collaboration between the City and the District of Antwerp. It concerns the Huidevetterstraat, Meirbrug, Sint-Katelijnevest (south of the Lange Nieuwstraat), Israelietenstraat, Schoenmarkt, Groenkerkhofstraat, Kammenstraat and Nationalestraat (in the latter two only the part north of the Steenhouwersvest). The part of the Nationalestraat and the Sint-Katelijnevest up to the Israelietenstraat will be laid out at ground level.

2025

The intention is to start the reconstruction of those streets together with the Groenplaats from 2025.

As with the Groenplaats, greenery plays an important role in this reconstruction. A total of 26 extra trees will be added in the Nationalestraat, Schoenmarkt, Meirbrug, Sint-Katelijnevest and Huidevetterstraat.

The infrastructure for both bus and tram stops will be renewed. There will be spacious platforms that are easily accessible to all users.

The safety of cyclists is increased: they only share the road with cars in one direction. In both directions, cyclists and trams will also have more space of their own so that they can pass each other smoothly. The footpaths will be widened where possible to give the busy pedestrian flows more space.

District Mayor Paul Cordy (N-VA): “In the streets around the Groenplaats, we are significantly increasing the comfort and safety of pedestrians and cyclists. We are also improving the accessibility of public transport, while the Groenplaats still remains easily accessible for car traffic.”

After the reconstruction, the Meirbrug, Schoenmarkt and Groenplaats will form part of the new southern parking loop through the city centre.

Motorized traffic travels from the Huidevettersstraat towards the Nationalestraat via the Groenplaats.

Car traffic can enter and exit the car parks without crossing the tram bed. To create more space for pedestrians, trams on the route run in a counterclockwise direction mixed with car and bicycle traffic.

Car, tram and bicycle traffic is separated from the busy pedestrian flows by strips in which objects such as trees, street furniture, bycicle stations or taxi ranks are placed. This physical and visual barrier gives pedestrians a clearly defined space where they do not conflict with other traffic flows. Crossing will be possible in more places.

Koen Kennis: “Extending the Via Sinjoor at the height of the Meirbrug / Sint-Katelijnevest will divide the city center into two parts. The reconstruction of the Meirbrug and the surrounding area forms an inseparable whole with the north-south flow of the motorized traffic via the Scheldt Quays as a neighborhood road, including the sunken quay road that we are planning there. The north-south connection remains guaranteed in this way.

More information about the reconstruction of the Groenplaats and the surrounding streets can also be found at www.antwerpenmorgen.be/groenplaats.