Renovation Diamond Square Mile

This year, the City of Antwerp will renovate the Diamond Square Mile. 

The City's contractor, Verbruggen begins the renovation of Schupstraat, Hoveniersstraat and Rijfstraat on April 24, 2023. The work will undoubtedly cause serious nuisance and inconvenience, but the end result will give the diamond district’s appearance a brilliant boost for a long time to come. Completion is scheduled for January 2024. The major work will be divided into 4 phases.

This project is being carried out by the contractor Verbruggen, on behalf of the City of Antwerp, in cooperation with Waterlink, Aquafin and in close consultation with the police and AWDC.

Below, you can find more information on the renovation project, timeframe and phases, and useful information. 

Safety first!

There are potential hazards at every site. Moving trucks, an unexpected obstacle, a pothole. To reduce this safety risk, we are taking a whole range of measures. We are also counting on you to guarantee safety.

We would like to give you the following guidelines:

• Respect site signs, closures and traffic rules.
• Do not park your bicycles, scooters, etc. on Schupstraat, Hoveniersstraat or Rijfstraat, but at the designated locations on public roads, or use the bicycle parks in the surrounding public car parks.
• Only visit the site if it is really necessary.
• If you do have to visit the site, look out for possible obstacles, potholes and vehicles. Before crossing the site, always make eye contact with the lorry driver or crane operator. This is the only way you can be certain that he or she has seen you.

Notification to your insurance broker and/or insurer

We advise all diamond companies to contact their respective insurance broker and/or insurer proactively to inform them of the work

Questions? Problems?

Do you have any unexpected problems with the site? Do you have any questions about the organisation of the site?

We have regular contact with the City, the contractor and the site manager. Send your question via / to stvh@awdc.be, tel. 03/2220572

Reduced hindrance permit

Owners or tenants of a garage, who do not have a resident’s permit are entitled to a reduced hindrance permit. This is a temporary permit that allows you to park freely in the vicinity. Go to www.antwerpen.be, search for ‘reduced nuisance’ -> ‘apply for a reduced nuisance permit’. For more information, please contact Mobiliteit en Parkeren Antwerpen at mobiliteitenparkeren@antwerpen.be.

What is happening?

Schupstraat, Hoveniersstraat and Rijfstraat will be completely renovated. Within this project, sewers and lighting will also be renewed.

The streets will have the status of a residential area with mixed traffic. Within the residential area, parking will be prohibited. Bicycles and scooters must be parked in the “bicycle parking area”. However, there will be four permanent parking spaces for use by the police. Several areas will also be kept free for loading and unloading. Traffic can travel in both directions; primary access will continue to be provided via Schupstraat. 

The aim of the project is to upgrade the neighbourhood. Paving is being renewed and there will be raised planting beds, some of which will also feature benches. A total of six trees, multi-stemmed shrubs and low plants will be planted in them. This will take into account the visibility of cameras in the neighbourhood. The planting will be determined in consultation with the police and the green space department. The Portuguese synagogue will be accentuated by architectural lighting.

The sewers will be renewed and water will be kept in situ as much as possible and infiltrated into the subsoil. Rainwater will thus be collected in situ in buffer systems under the planting beds. This will allow the trees and plants to absorb water by capillary action. When it rains, the excess water will be diverted to 20 infiltration piles with a depth of 6 metres. This is where the water can infiltrate. The waste water will be drained through a new sewer system.

For more information, visit: 

https://www.antwerpenmorgen.be/nl/projecten/diamantstraten-heraanleg-ope...

Planning

Phase 1: April 24 to June 2023 

Work will start at the junction between Lange Herentalsestraat and Schupstraat and then advance in trenches of 10 metres to about halfway along Hovenierstraat. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to pass. Depending on the phase and progress of the work, vehicles will have to reverse via a planned diversion and drive in and out via Schupstraat or Rijfstraat. Additional communication will follow via AWDC to your building managers.

What happens in this phase:

• demolition of existing sewers  
  • attention: these groundworks could potentially cause vibrations that, depending on the location, installation and programming, could set off seismic detectors.
• installation of new sewers
• the new sewer system will be connected to every house
  • this will be done on one side of the street at a time so that there is always one side of the street available for use by pedestrians and cyclists
  • users of the underground car parks up to the diamond buildings will not be able to use the parking facilities for a certain period of time (likely to be somewhere between 2 and a maximum of 5 days). The exact period will be communicated to building managers several days in advance each time, so that everyone has time to take any necessary measures.
    • We recommend that parking users then use the numerous nearby public car parks.
  • it is possible that the connection is just below the front door, in which case a gangway will be laid. This procedure does not take long 
• backfill with earth
• a temporary surface will be provided that cannot be used by ordinary cars

How it works:

• a trench will be dug across about half the carriageway
• this trench will be about 3 m wide,10 m long and 2 to 4 m deep
• this trench will be moved along in steps 
• on both sides of the sluice there will be 1.5 m of passage for pedestrians and cyclists (unless the sewer is connected to the houses)
• at the end of phase 1, the trench will be temporarily tarmacked to ensure accessibility during phase 2
• given that the available public space for normal deliveries to the buildings will be severely restricted for the duration of the work, the Police will be more rigorous in enforcing the correct use of access times and temporary take-overs of the public highway.
• depending on the phase, the Police will be present at all times and supervise the access used

You can download the traffic circulation plan that will apply in the first phase here:

Circulation Plan Phase 1 General

Circulation Plan Phase 1 Detail

Phase 2: June to July 2023

Phase 2 will start halfway along Hoveniersstraat and run as far as Vestingstraat. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to pass.

What happens in this phase:

Same as phase 1

How it works:

Same as phase 1

Construction leave: 14 July to 6 August

No work will be carried out during the construction leave. The contractor must ensure that the site area is limited and tidy.

Phase 3: 7 August to October 2023

Work will start on Vestingstraat and move up in steps to about halfway along Hoveniersstraat. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to pass.

What happens in this phas

• the buffer structures will be placed under the planting beds
• the foundation will be laid
• the final surface will be applied.
• the planting beds will be installed

How does it work?

• The site is about 10 metres long and will move along in steps 
• One half of the street will be constructed first, then the other half, so that people can always pass through
• users of the underground car parks up to the diamond buildings will not be able to use the parking facilities for a certain period of time (likely to be somewhere between 2 and a maximum of 5 days). The exact period will be communicated to building managers several days in advance each time, so that everyone has time to take any necessary measures.
• given that the available public space for normal deliveries to the buildings will be severely restricted for the duration of the work, the Police will be more rigorous in enforcing the correct use of access times and temporary take-overs of the public highway.
• depending on the phase, the Police will be present at all times and supervise the access used
• The new surface cannot be walked on
  •  for the first day after grouting  
  • It cannot be used by small vehicles and cars for 14 days

At the end of the first phase, no work will be carried out for 10 days to allow the final surface to harden properly. The final phase will start when cars can drive on the third phase again.

No work can be carried out for about 10 days to ensure that the first phase has hardened. This will ensure that one side of the street remains accessible at all times. 

Phase 4:  October 2023 to January 2024

Work will start about halfway along Hoveniersstraat and move up as far as Lange Herentalsestraat. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to pass.

What happens in this phase:

Same as phase 3

How it works:

Same as phase 3

Refuse collection

Weekly refuse collections will continue as normal. Waste should be placed in an accessible location. More information can be found at www.antwerpen.be/ophaalkalender.