From bleak working-class district to fresh, green neighbourhood with an open character
The former working-class district of Groeseind, built round the D.P van Maren textile factory, has undergone restructuring. Once a typical pre-war district with small-scale social rented accommodation, sparse greenery and lots of cars parked in the streets, it has been transformed into a fresh, green neighbourhood with an open character that gives the impression of always having been there. It has become a diverse and sought-after neighbourhood with a wide variety of rented and owner-occupied housing that, due to its design, has also given the surrounding neighbourhoods a positive stimulus.
The old Groeseind was an extremely uniform, bleak district with 380 small, social rental homes, built in the twenties and fifties. The district was characterised by small streets, also used for parking and with very little greenery. At the end of the last century the houses were technically outdated and no longer met the housing requirements of the tenants. Moreover, an industrial estate with businesses, a petrol station and a large textile firm ? also located in the area ? was a source of great inconvenience. Janssen de Jong Projectontwikkeling, WonenBreburg, Tiwos, Hurks vastgoedontwikkeling and the municipality of Tilburg joined forces to facilitate the transformation of this outdated neighbourhood. De Zwarte Hond designed the master plan and later the urban development plan.
The most important means deployed for the restructuring, are the addition of more public green space and the diversification of the housing supply. In addition, a great deal of thought was given to strengthening the existing qualities.