Over 130 years of history, unique expertise passed down from generation to generation, and capital built on family values. Although the Belgian investor and property developer Alides is transforming the urban landscapes of Polish, Belgian and Luxembourg cities whilst operating globally, the same values continue to guide its course. It is a rare example of a multi-generational business that has skilfully combined family tradition with Alides Polska’s property development expansion along the Vistula.

The history of Alides begins in Ghent, Belgium, where Petrus Maes founded a construction company in 1892. The following decades on the Belgian market were marked by steady growth. Indeed, the company remains in the hands of its founders to this day, which guarantees full financial independence and stability in investment decisions. In the 1970s, Alides expanded its operations to Brussels. A key element of this expansion was the company’s involvement in the construction of around 1,800 modular school pavilions, which enabled the Belgian capital to meet the need for the expansion of educational facilities. Another important milestone was the establishment in 1968 of Bouw en Immobiliën Maes (BIM), a company responsible for managing the portfolio of properties built by the firm. Over time, Alides’ investment activities began to play just as significant a role as its construction activities, and in 2009 the company was consolidated under the name Alides.

Upcycling: giving properties a new lease of life

For over a century, the company has built up its expertise in both the office and residential sectors. It is currently developing investment projects in prime urban locations across Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland, basing its operations on a long-term investment approach and a Real Estate Upcycling strategy. This involves revitalising architecture by breathing new life into existing buildings and brownfield sites. For a company managed with a generational perspective, this is a natural direction. The long life cycle of buildings and the reduction of the carbon footprint represent real business value for Alides, creating a competitive advantagein an era of stringent ESG requirements. The company emphasises that, as a family-owned investor, it makes decisions with a view to the coming decades, rather than individual economic cycles.

An offensive on the Polish market. The Tri-City and Warsaw are in the sights

The Belgian developer’s international operations have also extended to Poland, making it one of the pillars of this multi-generational, family-owned company’s growth. Since its launch in 2017,Alides Polska has been building a diversified portfolio, combining residential and office projects with unique regeneration schemes. Following strategic acquisitions in Warsaw and the Tri-City, the Polish branch is now entering the most intensive phase of its operations to date.

The regeneration of the famous Praga factory

In the Warsaw market, Alides is developing two residential projects: Westo Wola, comprising 132 flats at 72 Jana Kazimierza Street, and ReVola, at the junction of Karolkowa Street and Aleja Solidarności, comprising 119 flats. A top-of-the-range development for enthusiasts of historic architecture is also taking shape on the other side of the Vistula, at 301/305 Grochowska Street. Before the end of the summer holidays, sales will begin for flats on the revitalised site of the former Perun Factory in Praga-Południe, where 242 flats will be built based on a unique concept by the WWAA architectural practice.

These three concurrent construction projects in Warsaw demonstrate that the Belgian developer has entered the capital’s market with a long-term plan. This is a rare example of a company with over a century of tradition that, rather than seeking quick profits, is committed to transforming entire city districts. The Belgians aim to bring their Western European experience to Poland, establishing themselves as an investor who, rather than demolishing and rebuilding from scratch, is actively involved in the redevelopment of Warsaw whilst taking the interests of local communities into account.

Further information: www.alides.pl

source: press materials

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