LEKS IS BACK

[EDIT: Maastricht, November 15]
Maastricht University's Calatrava Campus would be a landmark in the aspirations of the city. However, as you can read below, a forecast overrun of EUR 65m has brought the project to a halt.

It now appears from an article in the Dutch quality daily, NRC Handelsblad of November 14, that the former president of the Servatius Housing Corporation, Leks Verzeijlberg is discussing the further prospects of the project independently with the architect Santiago Calatrava.

Clearly, one should await the outcome of these talks with interest. Mr Verzeijlberg has already seen his plan to build housing, across the border in Liège, vindicated in Court. This was against the opposition of the Dutch government.

Leks Verzeijlberg’s abilities should not be underestimated. An interesting comparison is to be made with the City of Liège, where the same architect has just completed the monumental TGV station at a cost of some EUR 400m. This will set the seal, with other assets (the port and airport and the new biologistics focus), making the Principality a multimodal hub for the future.

Maastricht, with its cultural capital ambitions, its internationally acclaimed university - 'The Independent' recommended it for British undergraduates - its cross-border life-science program and confirmation of its brand status, should look to its laurels.
SW