Date: 25–28 February, 2019

Location: Haven-Stad, Amsterdam

Sponsor: The City of Amsterdam

Title: Haven-Stad Together

Panel Chair: Christopher Choa (vice president, AECOM; chair of ULI U.K.)

Background and Panel Assignment

In February 2019, the City of Amsterdam invited ULI to convene a three-day advisory services workshop in Haven-Stad. The City requested the experts’ recommendations on how to accelerate the redevelopment of Haven-Stad, its ambitious plan to transform 650 hectares of existing docklands into one of the largest inner-city mixed-use residential districts in Europe. The City was also interested in the experts’ insights into the different ways to fund and anticipate the infrastructure, as well as how to collaborate with the private sector. 

During their time in Haven-Stad, the experts interviewed key stakeholders and evaluated the development strategy for the project. This effort enabled them to present their recommendations and to share relevant best practice examples and interventions from their own experience. The overarching view from the experts was that although Haven-Stad is an ambitious project, as a large consolidated land area close to the core of the city, it presents clear opportunities. 

To realise the significant opportunities that Haven-Stad provides for Amsterdam and at the same time successfully deal with the challenges identified, the experts recommend the principle of Haven-Stad Together. 

This principle applies to three areas:

• Share risk;

• Engage investors; and

• Accelerate development.

The regeneration of Haven-Stad involves many risks, for example those related to the infrastructure and necessary funding needed, the size of the area, the current operations as a port, the different stakeholders involved, and the time needed for the regeneration stretching across different economic and development cycles.

To share and manage these risks appropriately, the experts’ key recommendation for Haven-Stad is to organise the leadership and execution of the project under a publicly/privately owned development company, involving all major stakeholders. 

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