Vives Hogeschool Noord's construction department staying in Ostend; Cleantech coming to Ostend
Vives Hogeschool Noord has decided that in 2018 its Construction department will be moving from the Zeedijk to the building on Lijndraaiersstraat that currently serves as the post office sorting centre. In addition, its Cleantech department is coming to Ostend. Student accommodation will be built on the new campus, adjoining the college on IJskelderstraat. Bpost will be moving its sorting centre to Plassendale 3 (beside the motorway).
Vives and Cleantech
To facilitate the college’s new tenancy, ION Holding will be buying the current sorting centre and handing it over to AGGB (Autonoom Gemeentebedrijf voor Grond- en Bouwbeleid), the City Council’s arm’s-length landowner, who will be taking out a long-term lease on it. In turn, AGGB will sub-let the building to Vives Hogeschool Noord. It was important to Vives to secure a new location that was well situated. Another key consideration for the college was to be able to add on student facilities. To this end, AGGB will sell its premises on IJskelderstraat, right next to the college, to Vives to build 50 to 55 student rooms, in partnership with ION Holding. So this active involvement by the council has found a solution for housing both the college building and the student accommodation.
“Vives will be running its Construction course in the current postal sorting centre, and will also be bringing its Cleantech department, currently run from Kortrijk, to Ostend as of 1 September 2018,” said the city’s Mayor Johan Vande Lanotte. “This agreement is great for Ostend. It secures Vives’ presence in Ostend for the years ahead. There was some pressure to move the campus to Bruges, but the City Council’s decisive action has warded off that risk. We are grateful to Vives for the positive way they have worked with us. Both of the college courses involved will be well able to flourish in their new location.”