IZOO, unique residential project in the center of Oosterzele
189 years after the establishment of the IZOO (Institute for Sisters of the Immaculate Conception), a household name in Oosterzele, the site is ready for a new chapter in its history: the old buildings have been transformed and 39 rental and owner-occupied apartments will be completed on Wednesday 6 July. Sustainable and high-quality apartments that will offer families or singles the opportunity to live affordably in the heart of Oosterzele.
HISTORY
The history of IZOO started in 1832. The year in which the Sisters Apostolines became the owners of the monastery and they were obliged to start a Sunday school and a spinning school for underprivileged children. These educational activities have evolved over the years and the sisters are committed to education until 2004. When the last sisters left in 2004 and the secondary school closed in 2010, the monastic buildings were left empty. Today only the primary school remains.
REPRODUCTION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS TO RESIDENTIAL PROJECT
In order to increase the supply of affordable housing, SHM Denderstreek repurposes existing buildings or rebuilds already built-up areas where possible. That happened in the meantime with an office building in Aalst, a monastery in Wichelen and in Geraardsbergen. And now also in Oosterzele, where the empty IZOO buildings have been transformed into affordable and sustainable apartments. The listed facade of the monastery and chapel are part of the collective memory of Oosterzele and were restored by the Abscis architects with respect for their historical values and integrated into the design. Bekaert Building Company took on the implementation of this unique project.
FOR RENT, FOR SALE
The 26 rental and 13 owner-occupied apartments are situated around a central, green courtyard. On each level there is also a tour around the communal garden, a nod from the architects to the old cloisters† The apartments behind the cloister facade are mainly oriented towards the village and have a floating terrace. The owner-occupied apartments have two or three bedrooms and can be finished inside to their own taste by the buyers. Rental apartments are available with one, two or three bedrooms.
The project also provides an underground parking garage with 44 parking spaces, storage rooms and technical areas. All apartments meet the applicable standards in terms of comfort and energy consumption and are equipped with good acoustic insulation. Green roofs were also provided.
Three owner-occupied apartments and three rental apartments have been adapted and are therefore suitable for the disabled. The elevators in the building and the walkway on each level also make these apartments very accessible.
CANDIDATE TENANTS AND BUYERS
SHM Denderstreek has a waiting list of 560 candidate tenants for the municipality of Oosterzele, of which 70 already live in the municipality today. The available rental apartments will therefore all be rented out soon, given the number of candidates. This mainly concerns single people or couples.
Those who qualify can also buy affordable homes and apartments through SHM Denderstreek. Today 14 people are registered on the candidate list for the buyers. If you are interested, you will find all information and the conditions on the SHM Denderstreek website.
NEW CHAPTER
With the repurposing and expansion of the original buildings, a new chapter has begun for IZOO. The restoration of the facade and the entire site also provides added value in the streetscape. The extra greenery in the courtyard creates a welcome place for residents and local residents. The new residents will therefore soon feel very much at home in rural Oosterzele.
