Reinout Oerlemans has been causing anger among residents of the Amsterdam Jordaan for years. He wants to build a luxury apartment building on a small piece of vacant land. “Why?!”
It has been almost ten years since Reinout Oerlemans sold the head office of his then TV company Eyeworks on Raamplein in Amsterdam for more than twenty million euros. He decided to keep the parking lot (officially a garden) and the gymnasium in order to build expensive housing there, with which he can make a lot of cash.
No social rent
Reinout wants the relatively small piece of land between the monumental building on Raamplein and the neighbors on the other side of the street completely fill up and that leads to resistance. The neighbors complain that their natural light is disappearing, politicians are angry that Reinout only builds luxury apartments for very rich people.
Projects with more than ten apartments must also include social housing, which is why Reinout conveniently sticks to the maximum number. Shrewd, but according to critics he can give something back to the city where he became so rich. “If you’re going to do something, why not do something that enriches the city?” complains a local resident The Telegraph.
“Why is he doing this?”
Telegraaf reporter Jordi Versteegden wonders why Reinout even wants to get into such a hornet’s nest, while he will never get his money anymore. “Why does Reinout need this? I mean: that man has 200 million in his account,” he says in the podcast Strictly Private.
According to Evert Santegoeds, Reinout just wants even more money. “Yes, it is a Naughty Caterpillar of course. It leaves you wanting more.”
‘Enjoy your money!’
Jordi points out that Reinout is worth hundreds of millions. “Come on, and this is ten apartments! What is it about?”
Evert: “Reinout is in LA and of course has no interest in that neighborhood. I don’t see it ending favorably for him, because the municipality can be quite obstructive.”
Jordi: “Just go and enjoy the money there in LA!”
Reinout remains silent
The relevant district committee in Amsterdam will consider the issue on Tuesday, October 14. “It will be a crucial moment for the residents. Because how did it get to this point, if there are so many snags?”, according to De Telegraaf.
Reinout himself remains silent in his ivory tower. “De Telegraaf has tried to approach Reinout Oerlemans in various ways, but has not received a response to the questions.”