More and more expats are finding their way to the city which is most famous for its diamonds. With its magnificent ancient buildings, squares, alleyways, and its rich culture. Antwerp is an appreciated city with tourists and city-hoppers. It has a population of 520.000 and is Flanders’ largest city. By the first half of the 14th century, Antwerp had become the most important trading and financial centre in Western Europe, its reputation was based largely on its seaport and wool manufactories. In more recent times, Antwerp’s other great mainstay became the diamond trade that takes place largely in the diamond district. 85 percent of the world’s rough diamonds pass through this district annually. It is also Europe’s second-largest seaport, after Rotterdam. Antwerp sits on the upper end of the estuary of the Scheldt which has direct access to the North Sea.  Antwerp’s docks are connected to the inner land by rail, road, river and canal waterways. As a result, the port of Antwerp which has become one of Europe’s largest seaports (repetition) is the most important money spinner for the city offering approximately 142.000 jobs. Being such an important port has attracted people of all origins and cultures. Now days the city also hosts a lot of people who wish to settle here for other reasons than what the harbour has to offer. Although many of Belgiums major institutions are based in Brussels such as the European Commission and the Nato headquarters, Antwerp invests a lot in multinationals and international organisations. Companies like Exxon-mobil, Bayer, Atlas Copco have been based here for years.
As in Brussels, a real community of expats and highly educated internationals are emerging from here. The city itself is also following this trend, bars, restaurants and events that are focused on the expat community are popping up more frequently.
What remains to be resolved though is the lack of temporary housing in this city. In order to answer the demand for quality corporate housing, BBF set foot in Antwerp with Park Tower at the beginning of 2019. This stunning apartment complex is based near ‘het Eilandje’, an attractive and trendy quarter between the port and the city center. Once a neglected neighbourhood of Antwerp, Het Eilandje’ — which means “the little island” — has grown into one of the city’s most popular locations for expats and tourists. North of the centre, it’s where the port was initially developed, the neighbourhood still features industrial marine architecture — now with newer accents, such as the angular, “out of this world” Port House.
Former warehouses have been transformed into modern lofts and apartments, making it ideal for young professionals or families looking to live in one of the trendiest areas of Antwerp. BBF offers here comfortable one and two bedroom apartments with amazing views on the city and harbour skyline. The apartments are really designed for the expat community who are looking for an affordable easy solution for temporary housing with that extra bit of comfort. During their stay they will be able to enjoy services that come with our standard rental package. This is the product that BBF has been providing since the start and which gives us a market leading spot in the industry of corporate housing in Belgium. Together with our building promoter Candor, BBF is getting ready for Initium, a new project which is expected by the end of this year. Its location in the centre of Antwerp will certainly attract those who want a perfect base from which to discover the city by foot. This apartment complex will have 70 brand new serviced apartments and 60 underground parking spaces. We’ll again be able to offer perfect solutions for short and long term stays with a focus on corporate internationals and expats. But of course these kind of apartments are also an attractive solution for housing students with a higher budget or even short term contractors.
Practically all of BBF’s apartment blocks offer underground parking making it that more attractive for people that are over here by car. Furthermore public transport is always within walking distance for our carless residents. Tenants of Initium will also be able to enjoy a co-working space and a gym will also be made available. To make it even more compatible with the current high requirements it will have a lot natural light, an inner garden and solar roof panels.  The arrival of BBF in Antwerp offers many companies a simple solution to accommodate their employees. Many relocation agencies for whom it is not always obvious to find suitable accommodation for a longer period in Anwterp are already looking forward to these opportunities. This expansion will not only strengthen BBF’s leading market position, but it will also contribute to the credibility of serviced apartments as a product, on the Belgian market.