Schoten to Build New Town Centre with Theatre and Café by 2027
Schoten, Belgium, is developing a new town centre featuring a theatre with 300 seats, a party hall, a brasserie, and a café. The project, led by Alderman Paul De Swaef, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 and will officially open in the summer of 2027.
Construction Progress in Schoten
The town recently held a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction on the new buildings at Marktplein. The project started a year ago with the demolition of old structures. According to the town official overseeing historic buildings, a new floor will be added approximately every three months.
“If everything stays on schedule, the building will be completed by the end of the year,” he stated. However, this initiative is about more than just new infrastructure—it aims to preserve Schoten’s cultural heritage and strengthen the town’s community spirit. Officials emphasize the importance of keeping Marktplein a central gathering space for residents.
**”From now on, you will be able to see that a floor is added every three months. The shell should be there by the end of the year,”**
— Alderman Paul De Swaef
Features of the New Town Centre
To celebrate the beginning of construction, local art students decorated the first stone, using bold colours inspired by Henri Matisse and turning it into a public artwork.
The new town centre will feature a large theatre hall accommodating 300 guests, designed for performances, events, and meetings. Alderman De Swaef highlighted the importance of theatre in shaping Schoten’s cultural identity. Additionally, the development will include a party hall, a brasserie, and a café—spaces designed to bring residents and visitors together.
**”The theatre hall will be the heart of the building, with room for 300 people,”**
— Alderman Paul De Swaef
The new complex will also provide rooms for the Academy and the Harmonie, with a total capacity of up to 1,000 people. Construction is set to finish by late 2026, after which the final interior work will take place. According to De Swaef, the goal is to open the new town centre in the summer of 2027.
**”Then the finishing touches will be added to the inside of the building, and we would like to open it by the summer of 2027,”**
— Alderman Paul De Swaef
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