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Oosterpolder is open for business!
dazflint posted a City Journal entry in Nieuwezee - Noord-Holland Polder Town
Things have really taken off in Oosterpolder since last time we visited! Two years have passed, and the main avenues are lined with shops, offices and apartment buildings. Here's a couple of aerial shots, to give a sense of how much has changed: BEFORE AFTER Now there's much more to the Central Business District, which you can see to the top of the second image; that's the area around the Oosterpolderplein (where the tram 2 terminates). You can also see that the central portion of the Oosterpolder has been nicely filled-in, as small lots and parcels of land are developed to create medium-wealth, medium-density residential streets. Here's a closer look at those residential areas: Clustered around the Nieuwe Polderlaan, this area is called Meerdijk. Before the Oosterpolder was even developed, it was the southernmost point of the Peninsula where private land-owners could build their own homes or create small-scale residential projects. It was the edge of town, far-away and forgotten. Now that the Polder has been drained and developed - with a tram running right through it - things have changed. Land-value has increased, though there are people who still feel that Meerdijk is 'the wrong side of the tracks' - too far from both the Old Town, and from the centre of Oosterpolder. But despite that, Meerdijk now houses Nieuwezee's largest primary school; it has shops, cafes, everything you'd expect of a thriving community. It's a place to raise your kids. An interesting feature of Meerdijk is the concentration of 'container housing' which today gives it much of its character: Before the Oosterolder was even developed, folk in Meerdijk were already throwing up 'temporary' housing units using old shipping containers which were converted into living-space, much as one can find in parts of London or Amsterdam. Since the area really 'took off', the trend for container housing has gotten a bit silly; you can't help but notice the two huge apartment blocks (one 8 storeys, the other 11) which tower of the rest of the community. Yes, these are built entirely (or almost entirely!) of recycled shipping containers. Since the towers were approved, many long-term Meerdijk residents have petitioned against any similar developments in future - from now on, Meerdijk will remain a low-density, low-rise community as it always had been. North of Meerdijk, beyond that huge low-rise apartment complex in the centre, is the commercial heart of Oosterpolder. This is the busy shopping street that is the Havenbrugweg. But this area is not just about shopping; it also houses Nieuwezee's state-of-the-art new Leisure Centre and swimming pool - and right next door, the town's first ever purpose-built Mosque: Nieuwezee's Muslim population numbers more than 1,000 and for several years the faithful have been searching for a site for a new Mosque, to supplement the makeshift places of worship that had sprung up in empty shops and private homes. The town council was willing to sell this patch of land just off the Havenbrugweg, on the proviso that the Muezin's Call to Prayer would not be electronically amplified during hours of darkness. This was to protect the interests of non-Muslim residents in the adjoining apartment complex. The town's Muslim community accepted those terms, and today the Es-Salam Mosque stands not just as a place of worship, but it also hosts drop-in sessions for elderly residents, children's play groups and a range of other community groups. With the stunning glass-roofed Leisure Centre and swimming pool right next door, this area is definitely the heart of civic life in Oosterpolder. So who knows what new facilities are being built just across the road, in that huge construction site?? Heading further along the Havenbrugweg, we come to Nieuwezee's brand-new 'Central Business District' (CBD). This is the commercial heart of the Oosterpolder: You can see the Oosterpolderplein (to the left of the photo) where the tram terminates. Here you can catch a film at the new art-house cinema, dine at any of a whole range of top-class restaurants, and visit the boutique 'sunken mall' at the centre of the square. Across the avenue is the Metropolitan Mall, which is a large, modern shopping centre. It's the first 'proper' mall in Nieuwezee. Behind it you can see a dense cluster of office buildings, this is the main CBD itself. At top centre, next to the roundabout is the Oostendtoren, the tallest building in the Oosterpolder and indeed in all of Nieuwezee. Like many buildings in the area, It's covered in state-of-the-art interactive advertising boards. After all, this is 2018 already! Here's a selection of some of the other more impressive buildings in the area (including a close-up of the mall)... To be honest, there's so much new office space in the Oosterpolder that much of it is sat empty! And at the same time, everybody is keen to promote the new Biotech Campus at the other side of town, which is also seeing an explosion of office-space. For this reason, the council has placed a moratorium on new commercial development in Oosterpolder - the remaining city-blocks will be zoned entirely residential. Speaking of residential, here's our last stop of the day: This is the Marina. It's by far the most exclusive residential development in all of Nieuwezee. Penthouse apartments cost in the millions of simoleons... Perhaps understandably. There's a 24hr concierge (of course!) including valet parking (in the underground lot); there are pools and fully-equipped gyms in each tower, and private roof-gardens; the views are astonishing, across the IJsselmeer you can even see Amsterdam glittering in the distance on a clear day. At the quayside you can rent a boat for a private leisure-ride... And of course, don't forget to visit that expensive Italian deli on the way! On the down side, it's not all fun and games at the Marina. The area is still under development (blame the Chinese financial crisis of 2017!) leaving an ugly construction site just beside the towers, which unfortunately has been left on hold for several years. Looks like the developer bit off more than they could chew... Like much of the new office space in Oosterpolder, some of the luxury apartments here are still sat vacant. They'll fill up in time, but for now the Marina is something of a 'white elephant.' Whatever is developed around here in future, we can expect it to be dense but affordable housing.- 4 Comments
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