A boost for housing opportunity in Oudewater

On the Hekendorperweg in Oudewater the construction of 69 brand new apartments is in full swing. Bolton Bouw is the main contractor responsible for this beautiful project commissioned by housing association De Woningraat. Erik Hendriks, project manager from Bolton Bouw: "The demand for rental housing is greater than ever. This is why the construction of these apartments really makes an impact for the community: we are boosting the housing supply."

The construction site previously housed Schuylenburcht retirement home. After demolition, the retirement home provided space for new construction. The name of the project is therefore a beautiful ode to the old building. Hendriks says: "In 'Nieuw Schuylenburcht', 25 of the 69 homes are designated as care homes. In this way, we realize affordable rental housing for different target groups."

A project with impact

Bolton Construction is a close-knit family business that has been in existence for more than 50 years. As an experienced project developer, Bolton is involved in all kinds of projects: from homes and office buildings to schools and healthcare institutions. A multifaceted project like Nieuw Schuylenburcht is therefore right up the innovative company's alley. "Nieuw Schuylenburcht was a tender project," Hendriks explains. "In March 2022, we got the good news: we were allowed to start work. As a team, you think along at an early stage, for example about the planning. So we look at the entire construction process, because how do you proceed logistically? And what about the environment? For example, the neighborhood is also affected by such a large project. Attention for the local residents is therefore important. For example, we gave them a nice package the other day."

Safety first

New Schuylenburcht is a new construction project of reasonable size. With that comes the necessary logistical challenges. "We are working with two construction streams," Hendriks explains. "We often do high-rise buildings, but this time we are realizing four residential towers, divided into two construction streams. We are building the shell in a traditional way. Therefore, a lot of material is delivered. That makes the logistical coordination quite a challenge."

"The construction site is quite tight, and a lot of equipment is arriving. Of course, safety is paramount, so for me as project manager it is extra important to keep the schedule on track. There are 50 to 60 people walking around the construction site every day. There are also a lot of crane movements and freight traffic. Together with the team you try to put safety first. With the contractor and subcontractors, we look at how we can do this properly. Can we guarantee quality and does everyone know what to do? Then we know we have the project under control. We are proud of that!"

Room for changes

"In the end, we started construction a little later. Quite early in the project, in fact, the piles were changed," Hendriks says. "There was some doubt because the soil contains a lot of clay, peat and water. Therefore, together with the client and structural engineer, we decided to use a different type of piling system. That of course does something in cost and planning. Often many details are already fixed, but we have a very good cooperation with the client, superintendent and architect. This keeps us flexible. Nobody is waiting for changes, but if there were any, it still went smoothly. For example, in close consultation with the architect, we also chose to change the facade frames. To simplify maintenance, we have now chosen a kind of two-piece frame instead of a sash window. There will also be an activity room in one of the complexes. People can rent the space for area events. In short: it's a beautiful project with impact for the environment."