Entrepreneurship in a historic building

Where do you find a film café, a 3D print shop, a sports event agency, a video producer and a beer brewery in one building? Since early 2018, the CAB building is home to all of them! For years, this monumental building has been the impressive centrepiece of the Cartesius Triangle in Utrecht. Due to development plans in the area, the building became vacant for an (indefinite) number of years. Together with the owner of the building, NS Vastgoed, we came up with a way to take good care of the building and at the same time build up a lively community.

There was, however, one important condition to the whole project: the solution had to make social impact. NS Vastgoed finds it important that the use of the CAB building contributes to healthy and sustainable urbanisation. That is why we selected entrepreneurs who fully meet that profile.

The CAB building is now a striking example of our vision of smart management and creative use of space. The historic building consists of no less than 13,000 square metres. By temporarily dividing it into independent units of varying sizes, 15 socially and culturally involved entrepreneurs from Utrecht have found a place to build up their businesses. In a few years' time - when the redevelopment of the Cartesius Triangle starts - the CAB building will be renovated. The 15 entrepreneurs will then leave the building in excellent condition and look for another (flexible) workplace.

In between the Utrecht Zuilen Station and Utrecht Central Station you will find the Cartesius Triangle. An interesting part of Utrecht that has been a household name in the region since the Middle Ages. Since the end of the 1940s, the Dutch Railways has worked here on trams, trains and buses. Centrally located, close to arterial roads and full of greenery, the area is bursting with potential. That potential has been seen! A redevelopment plan is being drawn up to transform the Cartesius Triangle into the ideal city district. The buildings of NS Vastgoed, among others, are part of the plan. Until then, we will ensure that the community reamins lively by carefully managing the buildings in the area.