traveler
October 21st, 2006, 03:02 PM
Intervention areas superior to 1.5 million m² in all Portugal
INVESFER, S.A. is a company in the REFER group which owns and manages the Portuguese Railway Infrastructure. The goal of INVESFER is to maximize and increase the value of the Group’s non-core property (and other property which may cease to be used for railway purposes) in order to ensure that the necessary resources are available to finance a general improvement of the railway infrastructure.
In this framework, INVESFER has been developing projects and businesses that are real operations of urban regeneration in the surrounding areas of the Railway Stations. These operations of urban regeneration aim at the improvement of accessibilities and services provided to the users and enhance the Stations as centres of social and economical activities, turning them into main clusters in the cities where they are located. They provide a practical example of how the railway is adapting to new concepts of modernity by making the surrounding urban space and people’s well-being once again the prime focus of railway stations and by turning the latter into hubs of retail, office and leisure activities. Besides their crucial role as transport interfaces, stations can thus become true social interfaces.
Up to now have been approved or are about to be approved intervention areas superior to 1.5 million m² and gross building areas of approximately 800,000 m².
It is also worth highlighting, for its groundbreaking nature and its social relevance, the development of university halls of residence, senior housing and health-related complexes. The projects will be carried out through partnerships with private groups and different types of concessions or developed by INVESFER on its own account.
INVESFER and SPRU established a partnership agreement in order to build university residences in several real estate projects, from North to South of Portugal according to ‘’Stations Come Alive’’ Program, namely in Aveiro, Braga, Porto-Campanhã, Évora and Vila Real de Trás-os-Montes.
The University Halls of Residence promoted by SPRU and inserted in the framework of ‘’Centro Campanhã’’ and in Braga are already completed and were inaugurated in October 2005.
In order to determine the best development and marketing policy for the projects being or about to be undertaken by INVESFER, a consultancy and marketing contract was signed with a group of the sector’s leading real estate companies, wich includes DTZ Portugal, Cushman Wakefield Healey and Baker, and CB Richard Ellis.This contract covers in particular areas such as market research and value assessment, product definition, marketing strategies and development of media campaigns, marketing, and structured partnership proposals.
Projects under development
* CENTRO CAMPANHÃ - FASE 1 *
Location: City of Oporto
Integrated in the Global Project of Redevelopment and Regeneration of Campanhã Railway Station and surrounding areas and being an integrant part of the New Intermodal Railway Station of Campanhã Project – Western Interface, lies an elevated square with about 10.000 m², where a four Blocs complex (A, B, C, D) is projected.
Project’s Presentation
Within the framework of the New Intermodal Railway Station of Campanhã is located the new Project of Centro Campanhã, which is already a true architectonical reference in Oporto, as well as a new growth centre. The first stage of the Project is finished and comprises a Students Hall of Residence promoted by SPRU and inaugurated in October 2005, 6.500 m² of building aimed at services and 3.500 m² for retail trade. The second stage, due to start in 2006 will include a Hotel and a unit for “Senior Residences”. In a third stage are going to be built 11.000 m² for housing and 4.000 m² for services. Including vast areas of public space, connected by wide open pedestrian traffic, the Project of Centro Campanhã will certainly be a LIVING Centre of business and leisure, a true and new Major Activity Centre in Oporto city.
Description
• Offices
Bloc D is already housing the Students Hall of Residence, the remaining Blocs A, B and C are aimed at Office Centre, with a gross area of 6.500 m² for leasing, with main entrance through Praça Central (Central Square) and direct connection to the Parking lot. Block A is aimed at enterprises that search for offices with areas ranging from 130m² to 3.200 m². Block B is dedicated to small spaces offering areas from 130 m² up. Block C is for enterprises that wish to benefit from a single building. Endowed with a Central Reception Desk and a 24 hour Security System, the “open space” Office centre offers total flexibility of space, allowing each user to adapt it at his/her free will, according to the needs.
• Commercial Gallery
The Commercial Gallery, adjoining the Central Square, strands underneath the Office Centre Blocs. Offering 3.500 m² of total space for leasing, the Commercial Gallery is composed of 28 retail stores and it is served by 480 public parking plots. These spaces benefit from direct access to the Central Square, destined for terrace cafés that complete the restaurants area. This plaza, open to the general public, will be stage for entertainment and street animation activities. Estimation completion date: Due to the size of the project it will be develop in phases, the first phase its underway with completion estimated in April 2006.
* LARGO DA ESTAÇÃO SINES *
Location: Sines (Coastal city in Alentejo)
Located along the Avenida Humberto Delgado next to the former Railway Station of Sines, one of the main arteries of the town, the “RAILWAY STATION PLAZA” enjoys a privileged location.
Project’s Presentation
The Railway Station of Sines from which railway activities have already been entirely removed, has been in the meanwhile recovered as cultural centre. Next to it is going to be built a big sized Development Project. The “LARGO DA ESTAÇÃO” (“Railway Station Plaza”) in Sines is indeed a urban revolution for this city, once it is within the framework of a new country park covering a 50.000 m² area, where one can live enjoying wonderful green areas, together with retail, culture and leisure facilities.
Description
The “RAILWAY STATION PLAZA” comprises the construction of 216 apartments with several typologies T0, T1, T2, T3 e T4, and a ground floor for retail activities, distributed by 12 four-storey Residential Blocks. Every apartment and store has a private car parking and individual storage rooms in the basement. The apartments’ areas range from 68 m² up to 220 m², one can therefore acquire magnificent apartments equipped with top quality completion works. The first marketing stage is already underway, being 6 Blocks on sale, in a total of 51 apartments and 12 stores; Estimation Completion date: Due to the size of the project it will be developed in phases, the first phase is underway with completion estimated for March 2006.
* ROSSIO – LISBOA *
Location: City of Lisbon
Area and Usage: 5.000 m² for services and retail
Description
Development of a complex including services and retail, and renovation of all common areas adjacent to the Railway Station. The Praça Duques de Cadaval will be redesigned a pedestrian area will be created, as well as terraces to support the retail areas of the building.
Estimation Completion date: The project is underway with completion estimated for October 2006.
CENTRO CAMPANHÃ – STAGE 1
LARGO DA ESTAÇÃO - SINES
INVESFER, S.A. is a company in the REFER group which owns and manages the Portuguese Railway Infrastructure. The goal of INVESFER is to maximize and increase the value of the Group’s non-core property (and other property which may cease to be used for railway purposes) in order to ensure that the necessary resources are available to finance a general improvement of the railway infrastructure.
In this framework, INVESFER has been developing projects and businesses that are real operations of urban regeneration in the surrounding areas of the Railway Stations. These operations of urban regeneration aim at the improvement of accessibilities and services provided to the users and enhance the Stations as centres of social and economical activities, turning them into main clusters in the cities where they are located. They provide a practical example of how the railway is adapting to new concepts of modernity by making the surrounding urban space and people’s well-being once again the prime focus of railway stations and by turning the latter into hubs of retail, office and leisure activities. Besides their crucial role as transport interfaces, stations can thus become true social interfaces.
Up to now have been approved or are about to be approved intervention areas superior to 1.5 million m² and gross building areas of approximately 800,000 m².
It is also worth highlighting, for its groundbreaking nature and its social relevance, the development of university halls of residence, senior housing and health-related complexes. The projects will be carried out through partnerships with private groups and different types of concessions or developed by INVESFER on its own account.
INVESFER and SPRU established a partnership agreement in order to build university residences in several real estate projects, from North to South of Portugal according to ‘’Stations Come Alive’’ Program, namely in Aveiro, Braga, Porto-Campanhã, Évora and Vila Real de Trás-os-Montes.
The University Halls of Residence promoted by SPRU and inserted in the framework of ‘’Centro Campanhã’’ and in Braga are already completed and were inaugurated in October 2005.
In order to determine the best development and marketing policy for the projects being or about to be undertaken by INVESFER, a consultancy and marketing contract was signed with a group of the sector’s leading real estate companies, wich includes DTZ Portugal, Cushman Wakefield Healey and Baker, and CB Richard Ellis.This contract covers in particular areas such as market research and value assessment, product definition, marketing strategies and development of media campaigns, marketing, and structured partnership proposals.
Projects under development
* CENTRO CAMPANHÃ - FASE 1 *
Location: City of Oporto
Integrated in the Global Project of Redevelopment and Regeneration of Campanhã Railway Station and surrounding areas and being an integrant part of the New Intermodal Railway Station of Campanhã Project – Western Interface, lies an elevated square with about 10.000 m², where a four Blocs complex (A, B, C, D) is projected.
Project’s Presentation
Within the framework of the New Intermodal Railway Station of Campanhã is located the new Project of Centro Campanhã, which is already a true architectonical reference in Oporto, as well as a new growth centre. The first stage of the Project is finished and comprises a Students Hall of Residence promoted by SPRU and inaugurated in October 2005, 6.500 m² of building aimed at services and 3.500 m² for retail trade. The second stage, due to start in 2006 will include a Hotel and a unit for “Senior Residences”. In a third stage are going to be built 11.000 m² for housing and 4.000 m² for services. Including vast areas of public space, connected by wide open pedestrian traffic, the Project of Centro Campanhã will certainly be a LIVING Centre of business and leisure, a true and new Major Activity Centre in Oporto city.
Description
• Offices
Bloc D is already housing the Students Hall of Residence, the remaining Blocs A, B and C are aimed at Office Centre, with a gross area of 6.500 m² for leasing, with main entrance through Praça Central (Central Square) and direct connection to the Parking lot. Block A is aimed at enterprises that search for offices with areas ranging from 130m² to 3.200 m². Block B is dedicated to small spaces offering areas from 130 m² up. Block C is for enterprises that wish to benefit from a single building. Endowed with a Central Reception Desk and a 24 hour Security System, the “open space” Office centre offers total flexibility of space, allowing each user to adapt it at his/her free will, according to the needs.
• Commercial Gallery
The Commercial Gallery, adjoining the Central Square, strands underneath the Office Centre Blocs. Offering 3.500 m² of total space for leasing, the Commercial Gallery is composed of 28 retail stores and it is served by 480 public parking plots. These spaces benefit from direct access to the Central Square, destined for terrace cafés that complete the restaurants area. This plaza, open to the general public, will be stage for entertainment and street animation activities. Estimation completion date: Due to the size of the project it will be develop in phases, the first phase its underway with completion estimated in April 2006.
* LARGO DA ESTAÇÃO SINES *
Location: Sines (Coastal city in Alentejo)
Located along the Avenida Humberto Delgado next to the former Railway Station of Sines, one of the main arteries of the town, the “RAILWAY STATION PLAZA” enjoys a privileged location.
Project’s Presentation
The Railway Station of Sines from which railway activities have already been entirely removed, has been in the meanwhile recovered as cultural centre. Next to it is going to be built a big sized Development Project. The “LARGO DA ESTAÇÃO” (“Railway Station Plaza”) in Sines is indeed a urban revolution for this city, once it is within the framework of a new country park covering a 50.000 m² area, where one can live enjoying wonderful green areas, together with retail, culture and leisure facilities.
Description
The “RAILWAY STATION PLAZA” comprises the construction of 216 apartments with several typologies T0, T1, T2, T3 e T4, and a ground floor for retail activities, distributed by 12 four-storey Residential Blocks. Every apartment and store has a private car parking and individual storage rooms in the basement. The apartments’ areas range from 68 m² up to 220 m², one can therefore acquire magnificent apartments equipped with top quality completion works. The first marketing stage is already underway, being 6 Blocks on sale, in a total of 51 apartments and 12 stores; Estimation Completion date: Due to the size of the project it will be developed in phases, the first phase is underway with completion estimated for March 2006.
* ROSSIO – LISBOA *
Location: City of Lisbon
Area and Usage: 5.000 m² for services and retail
Description
Development of a complex including services and retail, and renovation of all common areas adjacent to the Railway Station. The Praça Duques de Cadaval will be redesigned a pedestrian area will be created, as well as terraces to support the retail areas of the building.
Estimation Completion date: The project is underway with completion estimated for October 2006.
CENTRO CAMPANHÃ – STAGE 1
LARGO DA ESTAÇÃO - SINES