huh?! This is what happened to the Leeuwenhoek building on Ireland Avenue

One moment there was still an office building, two weeks later the Leeuwenhoek building on the Ireland Avenue has disappeared. A demolition company took the sledge hammer through in December and leveled it to the ground. Why was it demolished and what will be replaced?

The building was broken into small pieces by a large grab. That was not even that easy because the concrete was full of reinforcement, so that all the pieces stuck together. With a large screen, the buildings next to it were protected against the clouds of dust that arose during the demolition.

Renovation or demolition

The owner of the Leeuwenhoek building and the land is Klaverblad Verzekeringen. Facility Manager Micha Visser explains: “The office building was in need of renovation. That is why we had to make the choice: either refurbish or demolish. We have rented the office spaces to other companies in recent years after Klaverblad Verzekeringen moved into the new building next door. So we opted for demolition.”

Bats

Actually, Klaverblad Verzekeringen wanted to let the demolition hammer go through it earlier, but the demolition was delayed. “Bats lived in the building. Before demolition, an alternative living space had to be devised. In our current office building, four holes have been made in the facade where the bats have moved to.” Demolition actually started about a year later than planned.

A place for everyone

And what will happen to the piece of (building) land now that the Leeuwenhoek building is gone? Micha says that no new destination has been devised yet. “Maybe we will make a nice park for the whole neighbourhood. A green place where everyone can relax or walk through. We still have to think about it.” The parking garage behind the demolition site will remain in existence. “Our employees park there to relieve the burden on the neighbourhood.”

New studios

A little further on Ireland Avenue, another office building is being renovated. It is opposite the Centrum West tram and bus station where various companies used to have an office. The office building will be converted into 26 studios for the organisation’s clients Ipse de Bruggen. The houses are for adults with a (mild) mental disability who can live here under supervision. The delivery of this new residential and care complex is scheduled for early 2023.