After a few weeks, we finally got the chance to visit Cityden Oud-Zuid again. Armed with a hard hat and a raincoat, we arrived at the construction site. Outside, it was typical Dutch weather, but inside, everything was moving full speed ahead. In fact, an incredible amount has happened since our last visit.

For anyone who doesn’t spend their days walking around construction sites (like us), it might seem as if not much has changed. But as soon as our site supervisor starts telling us about everything that has happened over the past few weeks, we quickly realize just how much work has been done behind the scenes.

As always, we start on the ground floor. The first thing we notice is that the huge waste chute has disappeared. During our previous visits, it ran through almost the entire building and was used to throw down all the old materials being removed during demolition. Now, it’s completely gone. A clear sign that the demolition phase is almost entirely behind us.

And that might just be the best news: demolition is finished, and the construction phase is finally about to begin.

After a quick tour downstairs, we head back to the familiar emergency staircase. By now, we almost know the route by heart. Up one flight, then another, and another, until we finally reach the top floor of the building once again.

Because the building is nearly 100 years old, renovating it involves much more than simply applying a fresh coat of paint and bringing in new furniture. Over the past few weeks, the construction team has been busy replacing old structural elements. In several areas, original support beams are being replaced with enormous steel beams.

These beams are lifted onto the top floor using a large crane. But that’s where the real work begins. The construction team then has to move the steel beams into position by hand, floor by floor, hallway by hallway. When you consider that all of this is happening inside a building that is almost a century old, it’s easy to understand why it requires so much strength, patience, and precision.

As we continue through the building, we can see that every floor is being prepared for the next stage. New door frames are gradually being installed, the elevator shaft is being further reinforced, and everywhere workers are making sure everything is perfectly level and aligned. It’s not exactly the kind of work that makes for an exciting Instagram photo, but it’s the kind of work that ensures everything will fit together perfectly later on.

According to the site supervisor, we have now reached an important turning point in the project. The past few months have mainly been about demolition, removal, reinforcement, and preparation. From this point onward, the building is expected to change visibly from week to week.

And that’s great news for everyone following the project.

Starting next week, the construction team will be expanded. More people will be working on-site, and several activities that are immediately visible will begin. Think of plastering and finishing walls, completing the insulation, and installing ceilings.

In fact, the site supervisor expects that over the next two weeks there will be a dramatic visual transformation. Where we currently still see mostly a construction site, the first outlines of the future hotel will soon become visible. Rooms will start taking on their final layout, hallways will become recognizable, and more and more spaces will begin to look the way they were originally designed.

We have to admit, that makes us pretty excited. During our previous visits, we often had to rely heavily on our imagination to picture what everything would eventually look like. Now, that moment seems to be getting closer and closer.

Back on the ground floor, we swap our safety shoes for our own sneakers, say goodbye to the site supervisor, and head outside.

While the past few months have mainly been about taking apart the old hotel, the coming months will finally be about building the new Cityden Oud-Zuid. And if our site supervisor’s predictions are correct, we’ll have plenty of news and plenty of visible progress, to share with you in just two weeks.

One thing is certain: we can’t wait for our next visit.