24 | PORTEN DEVELOPMENT ‘ PEOPLE ENJOY LIVING IN A DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS ITS OWN IDENTITY’ Rochdale is facing challenges as the housing market in het Amsterdam region stagnates. Everyone has the right to a home, but the demand for affordable housing far exceeds supply. Eric Nagengast, director Real Estate at Rochdale: “We are always looking to develop new housing opportunities, and for partners who can do this for us. Our experience with Porten has been great. We are now actively looking to acquire new sites together, where we can develop the houses we need so urgently.” FAST DECISION-MAKERS “What we like most about Porten is their fast way of thinking. They are very resultoriented and react immediately if we have a question or an idea. We are quick decisionmakers ourselves, too. To us this proves their commitment to our partnership. I feel we speak the same language. This is very different from the large institutional parties we sometimes work with. Moreover, we are both very flexible. If you want to make a deal you have to give each other space, it is a matter of trust. The people at Porten understand this, and our collaboration really gave us a taste for more.” Rochdale wants to expand in the Zaanstad area, which faces a large housing shortage, especially in social housing. “We complement each other. We have the experience in dealing with municipalities. Porten has their own property assets and the contacts to acquire more. And since we are involved from an earlier stage now, we can make sure the demands of our renters will be met. For Porten this is interesting, too. They will know in an early stage what financial room we have and what the technical demands will be.” COSMOPOLITAN ZAANSTAD The Houthavenkade project has turned out especially satisfactory. Nagengast: “To us, this project symbolizes the transformation of Zaanstad, from an industrial area with workers’ homes to a cosmopolitan extension of Amsterdam. Porten has managed to find architects and builders that maintained the unique identity of the neighborhood, even though it is a high-rise urban project. We always aim to ensure a neighborhood’s livability and believe that everyone should be able to participate fully in society. Houthavenkade is certainly a place where people can live safely and comfortably. I am sure we will develop many more durable projects like this together. I am looking forward to it.” ERIC NAGENGAST ROCHDALE Housing corporation Rochdale is always looking to expand its portfolio of houses to meet its ambitions of tackling the housing shortage in the Amsterdam area. Porten Development offered them a collaboration in the Houthavenkade project in Zaanstad. Rochdale’s director of Real Estate Eric Nagengast highly values their partnership: “The Houthavenkade project is the doorway to more beautiful projects together.” - INTERVIEW -
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