Highest point of Hart van de Waalsprong reached

Because of the Coronavirus measures, the construction milestone of reaching the highest point was celebrated modestly. AM, VanWonen and Portaal arranged a food cart that served French fries on the building site, to thank the builders of Janssen de Jong Bouw. During these difficult times, they kept on building, to keep on schedule. 

Living in an absolute prime location
It is very important to keep on building, because the demand for rental homes for one- and two-person households is huge in Nijmegen. Wieke Van Veldhuizen, Public Housing Manager at Portaal Nijmegen: “The affordable homes that are built here are suitable for first-time home buyers, people moving up on the housing ladder, as well as senior citizens. They are designed with all stages of life in mind, so that people can age in place, and contribute to the creation of inclusive neighbourhoods where everyone feels at home. The homes have an average floor area of 65 m2, with (except for the ground floor) an open plan kitchen-living room, two bedrooms and a built-in storage/laundry room. There is room to meet on the wide galleries, where the outdoor spaces can also be found. And there is a large green space between the apartment complex, the car park (4 layers) and the shared bicycle parking facility. Despite the urban character of the apartment complex, there is plenty of greenery within and all around. With Hart van de Waalsprong, we are taking our responsibility to do something about the housing shortage, so that - as from next autumn -, our tenants will be able to live pleasantly and comfortably, close to all amenities.”  

Sustainable and contemporary neighbourhood
Hart van de Waalsprong is the vibrant and social heart of Nijmegen North. René Steman, Project Director of the Development Combination: “This will soon be a lively residential and shopping area with all amenities and facilities nearby. In addition to 500 homes in various shapes and sizes, there will be a fully-fledged and energy-neutral shopping centre. Including an Albert Heijn and Aldi supermarket and a ‘fresh food alley’ with specialty shops, such as a bakery, a butcher, a wine shop and a greengrocery. There is also room for Dutch chain stores. Units for social care services and paramedical care are available. The central town square will be lively with cosy cafés and restaurants and a really nice, typical Nijmegen atmosphere. 

Hart van de Waalsprong will be sustainable and energy neutral. The use of residual heat from shops, for example, contributes to the sustainability of the shopping centre. And the huge number of solar panels on the roofs will turn it into an energy neutral neighbourhood. The amount of sustainable energy generated locally equals the amount of energy used by the homes and the shops. 
Green roofs will make the homes heat resistant and give the neighbourhood a green look. There will also be public gardens and solar pergolas, as well as water features. Moreover, the neighbourhood will always be easily accessible by bicycle and public transport.