The warehouses at the legendary Jack-Op Brewery in Werchter, home to the famous student beer for almost 100 years, are gradually being given a new purpose. The excavation works for the new ‘Brouwmeester’ residential area have started and the sale of the 46 apartments, the commercial building, and two houses is going like clockwork. “The high housing prices in Leuven are clearly pushing young and old towards affordable new housing projects outside the city,” says Jan Knippenberg, Project Developer at Ciril. The first residents will move in during the spring of 2024.
Since the construction holidays, the contractor Houben has shifted up a gear at the site of the former Jack-Op Brewery. This month, a construction pit several metres deep will be dug and trucks will be coming and going to remove the soil. If all goes according to plan, Houben will pour the floor slab for the underground car park at the end of September, so that the ‘Malt’ (Mout) and ‘Barley’ (Gerst) buildings will gradually start to rise out of the ground after Christmas.
“There will be 46 sustainable apartments and 2 houses on the traffic-free site. They are all equipped with heat pumps, underfloor heating, thermally insulating glazing, and a high-quality ventilation system that makes them ‘Nearly Zero Energy’ (NZE). Some apartments can be adapted to the needs of wheelchair users. In addition, you will also find a commercial space in ‘Brouwmeester’, which will be suitable for a local business, liberal profession, or local shop, an underground car park, and a large courtyard garden. It is no less than 1,640 square metres and is intended for the residents,” explains Siska Beghin, Project Manager at Ciril.
High level of interest
The sale of the 23 apartments in the largest building, ‘Malt’, started in June of last year. The interest was very high, as all units were sold within a year. The new residents can move into ‘Malt’ in the spring of 2024. Since the beginning of August, interested parties can also sign for one of the 18 apartments in ‘Barley’. Almost half of them have already been sold. ‘Hop’ will be launched in 2023.
“The duplex apartments are particularly sought after. This project with affordable housing is very much in demand. Houses in Leuven have become virtually unaffordable. People are therefore more likely to go out into the suburbs, such as Werchter. That’s the ideal base for those who wish to enjoy some peace and nature, but still want to be within easy reach of the big cities. The village centre with its shops and cafes is cosy and if you like music, you can enjoy it at Rock Werchter every year,” says Jan Knippenberg, Project Developer at Ciril.
‘Barley’s’ unique structure
The ‘Barley’ building has a unique structure. The design refers to the previous buildings in the form of the typical roof structure and the use of red brick. In the middle, there are one larger and two smaller patios – miniature courtyards – and a footbridge connects the 18 apartments around them. Residents on the upper floors can use an external lift. This way, each apartment has its own front door. The developer has also ensured that every resident can enjoy maximum sunlight in their home.
Water for the neighbourhood
The groundwater is pumped up during the excavation works. In order to provide as much of an answer as possible to the drought problem, the pumped water is not discharged into the sewers, but via 180 metres of pipes into the Dijle, so that it has a chance to penetrate the ground again. A tap will also be provided so that the neighbourhood can also tap water. To be clear, the water from that tap is not potable. Residents can only use it to water their lawn or plants.
Rich history
The names refer to the rich history of the Jack-Op Brewery. This was founded in 1869 by the Van Roost family from Werchter, and was originally named after them. Around 1894, the Brewery was renamed ‘De Palmboom’, and as from 1934, it was simply known as ‘Jack-Op’. The beer was very popular with students. Partly because the family regularly invited them to visit the company and gave them a real treat, or so the story goes. After graduating, the students returned to their villages or towns and went in search of their favourite brew. In this way, Jack-Op ended up being famous throughout the country and, for a while, was even one of the most popular beers.
After ceasing its production in Werchter in 1965, the brewery finally closed its doors in 1970. For a while, the ‘student beer’ was still brewed by other breweries, until stopping in 2007. Since May 2010, a limited quantity of the regional beer has been distributed via local retailers in the Werchter region. The rich history of Jack-Op will live on in ‘Brouwmeester’ thanks to the names of the buildings, the structure of the ‘Barley’ building, and the front of the brewery, which will be rebuilt in its original state.
More info on the apartments can be found on the website www.brouwmeesterwerchter.be.
