“I hope that residents will soon be a real part of Amsterdam-North.”
On 18 July, we celebrated the start of construction together with local residents of Startblok Elzenhagen. Contractor Jan Snel and the development team of the Key and Eigen Haard gave them a tour and told everything about the Startblok concept. Startblok Elzenhagen will soon be made out of ‘modular units’. These are homes that you can build and move one by one. One of these houses has been put together and was brought to Elzenhagen for the tour.
Carla cut the ribbon of this very first home.
Carla is a local resident and has been in the Elzenhagen panel for more than a year. She cut the ribbon of this very first home.
‘During the information meeting last year, we were given the opportunity to register for the panel and to think along with the development of Startblok Elzenhagen,’ says Carla. ‘The project is in my backyard. From the flat where I live we can see the terrain well, so of course I am curious what is coming and how it is done. I think it’s important to talk about maintaining green and safety. I wonder how young people will soon mix with older people in the neighborhood. It is now all theory. We will have to wait and see how it will soon become real. I hope that the residents of Startblok Elzenhagen will soon be a real part of Amsterdam-North.’
The tour ended with a drink in the construction site. Here visitors got to know project coordinator Renato Tuur. At the Startblok the residents will manage their own living environment. For example, they provide maintenance, administration and communication. Renato will later manage the self-management team and monitor the development of the community.
Renato welcomes everyone
‘I think it is important that Startblok will soon not become a village, but will also do things together with the neighborhood. I hope that the neighborhood wants to help the young people of Startblok too. I hope local residents know they can find me if they want to do something together or discuss it. I will be here a lot soon. I will become a kind of Startblok mayor, ” he enthusiastically concluded.
An impression of the afternoon!
