Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend will be renovated with Flemish government co-investment. Ministers Depraetere and Wets, contractor Artes Woudenberg, and Mayor Crombez lead works; Royal Galleries also restored.
As VRT News reported, the Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend will undergo a major renovation. The Flemish government will co-invest in the project to protect the hotel’s historic value. Ministers Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) and Ben Wets (N-VA) announced the plans during a visit to the city.
They also inspected the Royal Galleries next to the hotel, which have already been restored. They mentioned that the aim is to restore the hotel’s exterior to its former glory. At the same time, the building will be expanded and modernised to meet today’s hotel standards.
“Restoring such a historic building is expensive. We’re looking into how we can make it happen. But it’s important that regular visitors can also stroll through the Galleries and the renovated hotel. This historic place must be open to everyone,”
Minister of Tourism Depraetere said.
Minister Wets stressed that private funding is crucial for the project to succeed.
“Flanders has a wealth of valuable heritage. Our government doesn’t have enough money to maintain all these buildings and sites on its own. That’s why private funding is also needed for the Thermenhotel.”
What are the plans for renovating the Thermae Palace Hotel and Royal Galleries in Ostend?
Minister Wets explained that requiring all original interior spaces and materials could discourage investors. By protecting the façade and allowing changes inside, the project hopes to attract investors.
Work on the Royal Galleries next to the Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend has been ongoing for 2 months. The historic Galleries faced major structural problems because the roof was too heavy. For years, the building required shoring to prevent further damage.
The original roof included a 40-centimetre-thick concrete slab that placed excessive pressure on the structure. This slab is now being removed and replaced with a new concrete slab. Jonckheere, the site manager for contractor Artes Woudenberg, said the restoration was urgently needed to secure the building and protect its future.
“During the work, we saw that large chunks of concrete had rotted away. The concrete reinforcement was rusted. It will take a lot of work to renovate everything. We hope to be finished by early next summer. That is, assuming no major surprises arise.”
After the new roof is waterproofed, the contractor will repair the concrete ceiling. The rotundas at both ends of the Galleries will also be renovated inside. During a visit by Flemish ministers Melissa Depraetere and Ben Wets, members of the heritage group Dement staged a protest. They held flags and placards to express their concern that Ostend is risking its historic heritage by involving private partners in the renovation of the Thermae Palace Hotel.
Mayor John Crombez of Oostende (Vooruit) responded:
“Many people are happy that the Galleries and the hotel will remain. The buildings’ future has been uncertain several times. The critics are right to be concerned.
Comments
11 responses to “Minister Wets Approves Thermae Palace Restoration in Ostend”
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Oh great, just what Ostend needed—another renovation! Because who wouldn’t want to spend a fortune on a historical building while private investors pocket the profits? 😂
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Seems like our ministers have found a new way to “co-invest” in history—by throwing in some cash and hoping for the best. Can’t wait to see the “modernised” palace with a side of heritage! 🏰💸
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Oh, brilliant! Just what Ostend needed—another fancy renovation to remind us all how much we love paying for history. Let’s hope the ‘modernized’ bits don’t look like a dodgy IKEA showroom! 😏🏨
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Guess the ministers finally discovered that heritage isn’t just for Instagram pics – who knew?! 😏 Can’t wait to see how they “modernize” the charm right out of it! 🏰💸
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Oh joy, another government-approved renovation! Because nothing says “historic charm” quite like a modern facelift funded by our not-so-deep pockets. 😂
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Who knew restoring a grand relic like the Thermae Palace would require a government and private funding tag team? Just another day in Ostend, where history meets bureaucracy and a sprinkle of “let’s hope the roof doesn’t cave in!” 🤷♂️🏛️
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Looks like the government’s finally decided to sprinkle some cash on the Thermae Palace – just what we needed, another fancy postcard for tourists. 🤷♂️ Hope the private investors enjoy the view while they cash in! 💸
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Looks like the Flemish government is putting its money where its mouth is—finally restoring the palace instead of just letting it crumble like my hopes of winning the last election. 🏰💸
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Looks like the Thermae Palace is getting a facelift – because what’s better than a government-funded beauty project to distract from the crumbling reality? 🤷♂️ Let’s hope the investors have deeper pockets than the ministers have solutions! 💸
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Looks like the government found a way to turn a historic ruin into a modern marvel—because nothing says “heritage” like a facelift and a bit of private funding, right? 🤷♂️ Let’s hope they don’t accidentally turn it into a shopping mall! 🏬
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Oh great, just what we needed—another historic building getting a facelift with a side of private funding! Can’t wait for the “authentic” vibes of this modern classic! 🤦♂️🏛️
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