Five historic and iconic buildings on Burgemeester Roosstraat in Rotterdam will undergo a metamorphosis in the coming period. The buildings, originally built between 1886-1901, will be restored by Fullhouse into family homes with a garden and affordable rental homes.

Historically, the buildings were built as residential houses with a business function on the ground floor. With a hot water distillery and a blacksmith, this was typical of that time. The buildings are part of the protected cityscape “Water project” and are therefore characterized as historically valuable. The buildings have been inhabited by squatters for the past 18 years. There have been cracks in the facades covered with steel structures for years and the roof moldings and window frames show serious skew. For all five buildings, the foundations must be repaired soon after the contaminated subsoil has been remediated. A very rewarding task to restore this part of Rotterdam to its former glory and to restore quality homes on the edge of the center.

Demolishing and then rebuilding everything would be obvious. However, Fullhouse considers the history of Rotterdam to be of decisive value in opting for large-scale restoration in which the original character of the facades with their graceful details are preserved.

Indoors, the homes will be modernized and made more sustainable to meet today’s current requirements. For years, the old prison has been transformed into homes, just a stone’s throw from these buildings. The end of the work seems in sight. The restoration of these five buildings is yet another step in the development of the historic Oude Noorden.

The first works have recently started to the satisfaction of the neighborhood. The homes are scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2021.