Historic Apartment with Balcony and Private Garage in Monumental School Building
Key Features
Description
This three-room apartment is situated on the second floor of a converted former municipal school building in the city of Hoorn. The property benefits from a sunny balcony, a private garage, and an additional parking space located directly in front of the garage. The building holds the status of a municipal monument, and during the comprehensive renovation completed in 2013, great care was taken to preserve the historical elements and architectural details that give the building its distinctive character.
The apartment offers an abundance of natural light throughout, with pleasant views available from every window. The interior features wide doorways and a practical layout that contributes to a spacious and comfortable living experience. The city center, the train station, and the popular Saturday market are all within comfortable walking distance, making this a highly convenient location for daily life.
Upon entering the building through the shared entrance, residents and visitors are immediately struck by the impressive architecture. The high ceiling and the preserved vaulted elements create a grand first impression. This communal area houses the individual meter cabinets and private storage units, each equipped with lighting and a double power outlet. The storage units also feature exceptionally high ceilings, maximizing their utility. From this hallway, there is a rear door providing direct access to the parking area and garages. Residents have the convenience of choosing between the staircase or the elevator to reach their apartment.
Behind the apartment's front door, a wide hallway provides access to all rooms through generously proportioned doorways. The floors throughout the apartment are covered with laminate over wooden and sound-insulating subfloors. The walls are neatly finished with smooth plasterwork. Located in the hallway is the spacious toilet room, which features partially tiled walls, a wall-hung toilet, a small sink, and a central extraction system.
The living room is accessed through a tall modern glass door. This inviting and spacious room features a high ceiling with the original historical roof trusses visible overhead, creating a unique atmosphere that combines historical character with modern comfort. The walls are smoothly plastered and the light laminate flooring continues from the hallway. The room benefits from excellent natural light and pleasant views. Several windows are equipped with insect screens and can be opened. For continuous ventilation, there is a ventilation grille and a suskast (a type of passive ventilation element). The windows and the door leading to the balcony are fitted with HR++ glass for optimal energy efficiency.
The balcony is described as cozy and features a glass balustrade with a steel handrail and a floor made of hardwood decking boards. This outdoor space is oriented to catch the afternoon and evening sun, offering residents the opportunity to enjoy beautiful sunsets. The balcony provides a pleasant private outdoor area within the urban setting.
The modern kitchen is positioned in a corner layout and finished in a light color scheme. It features a natural stone worktop that extends into an additional work area. The kitchen offers ample storage space thanks to numerous drawers, integrated cutlery drawers, and a carousel cabinet. The kitchen is equipped with various built-in appliances, including a dishwasher installed at an elevated height for ergonomic use, a combination microwave, a refrigerator-freezer combination, an induction cooktop, and a flat-screen extractor hood.
A separate utility room provides space for a washing machine and dryer, along with additional storage for cleaning supplies. This room also houses the central heating boiler, the mechanical ventilation system, and the main electrical distribution board.
The first bedroom features walls with straight-lined and tastefully patterned wallpaper. The window offers a view over the Draafsingel waterway and includes a ventilation grille for natural air circulation. A corner cupboard that fits well in the space is available for transfer to the new owner.
The second bedroom is described as a playful room with a high ceiling and a cozy corner area. It has a large window section where the two upper windows can be opened and are equipped with insect screens. A suskast provides continuous ventilation in this room as well.
The bathroom is spacious and features lightly tiled walls contrasting with darker floor tiles. A design radiator serves both to heat the room and to warm and dry towels. The bathroom includes a wide vanity unit with two sinks, broad drawers, and a mirror cabinet with integrated lighting and a power outlet. The shower area is equipped with a thermostatic mixer tap, and central extraction helps maintain air quality.
A significant advantage of this property is the private garage, which is nearly four meters wide. This generous width allows residents to park their car while still having space for bicycles alongside the vehicle. The garage is equipped with an electrically operated and insulated sectional door, lighting, and power outlets. This setup is particularly convenient for owners of electric vehicles who may need to charge their car at home. In addition to the garage, there is a separate private parking space located directly in front of the garage, providing convenient parking for a second vehicle or for guests.
The building was originally constructed in 1915 as a municipal school. In 2013, the architectural firm Rietvink Architecten was commissioned to design the conversion into apartments with garages, and the construction work was carried out by De Wit Aannemingsbedrijf. The renovation was guided by the principle of preserving the monumental aspects while incorporating contemporary comfort and convenience.
The apartment is wheelchair accessible due to the wide doorways throughout the property. The floor construction consists of wooden flooring with sound-insulating and fire-resistant Fermacell elements. Hard flooring is permitted in the apartment, provided it is installed without being fixed to the walls. This restriction exists because various pipes and conduits are located within the floor structure, and drilling, nailing, or screwing into the floor is not permitted. Pets are allowed in the property. Window cleaning is included in the homeowners association services.
The homeowners association, known as VvE De Singel, is properly organized with registration at the Chamber of Commerce. The association holds annual meetings, collects periodic contributions, maintains a reserve fund, has a maintenance plan in place, and has arranged building insurance. The monthly VvE contribution is 326.19 euros.
The property has a total living area of 94 square meters, with 2 square meters of other indoor space and 6 square meters of building-bound outdoor space (the balcony). There is an external storage unit of 23 square meters. The total volume of the apartment is 260 cubic meters. The property is fully insulated and features both mechanical and natural ventilation systems. Heating and hot water are provided by an Intergas HRE gas-fired combination boiler from 2014, which is owned by the current owner. The property is listed in the land registry under Hoorn D 7628 with full ownership status.
Features
Bathroom
Shower
The listing explicitly mentions 'douchehoek' (shower corner) with a thermostatic faucet in the bathroom.
Bathtub
The bathroom description mentions only a shower corner, double sinks, and a design radiator. No bathtub is mentioned.
Ensuite Bathroom
The layout describes a central hall with doors to all rooms including a separate bathroom. No bedroom has an attached bathroom.
Guest Toilet
There is a separate 'ruim toilet' (spacious toilet) located in the hall, distinct from the bathroom.
Heated Towel Rail
The listing explicitly mentions a design radiator that can preheat and dry towels.
Bidet
No bidet is mentioned anywhere in the bathroom description.
Double Shower
Only a single 'douchehoek' (shower corner) is mentioned, not a double shower setup.
Shared Shower
This is a private apartment, not shared housing. The shower is for the apartment's private use.
Shared Toilet
This is a private apartment with its own toilet. No indication of shared facilities.
His And Hers Sinks
The listing explicitly mentions 'breed wastafelmeubel met 2 wastafels' (wide sink cabinet with 2 sinks).
Bathroom Heated Floor
The bathroom has a design radiator for heating. No mention of underfloor heating, and the presence of a radiator suggests it may not have heated floors.
Building General
Corner Property
Exterior
Balcony
The listing explicitly mentions a 'zonnig balkon' (sunny balcony) with a glass railing and hardwood floor.
Rear Garden
The property is a 2nd-floor apartment with no mention of a garden.
Front Garden
The property is a 2nd-floor apartment with no mention of a garden.
Side Garden
The property is a 2nd-floor apartment with no mention of a garden.
Terrace
The listing mentions a balcony but does not mention a terrace.
Rooftop Terrace
There is no mention of a rooftop terrace in the listing.
Barbecue Area
There is no mention of a barbecue area.
Fenced Yard
As a 2nd-floor apartment, it does not have a yard, fenced or otherwise.
Patio
The listing mentions a balcony but does not mention a patio.
Veranda
There is no mention of a veranda in the description.
Guest House
The property is an apartment with no separate guest house.
Waterfront
While there is a view over the 'Draafsingel' (a canal), the property is a 2nd-floor apartment and does not directly sit on the water's edge with ground-level waterfront access.
Kitchen Garden
There is no mention of a kitchen garden.
Equestrian Facilities
No equestrian facilities are mentioned; it is a standard residential apartment.
Small Livestock Facilities
No small livestock facilities are mentioned.
Private Outdoor Pool
No pool is mentioned in the listing.
Private Outdoor Jacuzzi
No jacuzzi is mentioned in the listing.
Private Tennis Court
No tennis court is mentioned in the listing.
Remarkable Mountain View
The property is located in Hoorn, Netherlands, which is a flat area with no mountains.
Remarkable City View
The listing mentions 'geweldig mooi uitzicht' (wonderfully beautiful view) over the Draafsingel and notes that the city center and station are within walking distance, implying a pleasant urban/canal view, though not a skyscraper skyline.
Remarkable Garden View
There is no mention of looking out over a garden.
Remarkable Sea View
Although Hoorn is near the IJsselmeer, the view described is specifically of the 'Draafsingel' (a canal), not the sea or large lake.
Remarkable Harbour View
The listing specifies a view over the Draafsingel, not a harbour.
Remarkable Landmark View
The view is of a canal (Draafsingel) and the building itself is a historic monument, but there is no specific prominent landmark highlighted in the view.
Interior Comfort
Air Conditioning
No air conditioning is mentioned anywhere in the listing, which is typical for Dutch apartments unless explicitly stated.
Central Heating
The listing explicitly mentions a CV-ketel (Intergas HRE combi boiler from 2014) for heating.
Fireplace
There is no mention of a fireplace in the description of the living room or anywhere else.
Hardwood Floors
The subfloor is wooden, but the visible flooring throughout the apartment is explicitly stated to be laminate. Hardwood is only on the balcony.
Tiled Floors
The listing mentions dark floor tiles in the bathroom.
Laminate Flooring
The listing explicitly states that laminate flooring is laid continuously throughout the entire apartment.
Carpeted Floors
There is no mention of carpet; the floors are described as having laminate.
Underfloor Heating
Underfloor heating is not mentioned, and the bathroom specifically uses a design radiator for heating.
Walk In Closet
There is a corner cupboard in the first bedroom, but no walk-in closet is described.
Home Office
No home office or dedicated workspace is mentioned in the layout.
Skylight
There are large windows and playful windows mentioned, but no skylights are described.
Exposed Beams
The listing explicitly notes that the original beams and historical trusses are visible in the living room.
Bay Window
There are large window sections and playful windows, but no bay window (erker) is explicitly mentioned.
Private Indoor Pool
This is a standard apartment and does not have a private indoor pool.
Private Indoor Sauna
There is no mention of a sauna in the apartment.
Built-In Wardrobes
A corner cupboard is mentioned in the bedroom, but it is offered for takeover, suggesting it might be freestanding furniture rather than a fixed built-in wardrobe.
French Doors
The description refers to a singular 'high modern door with glass' to the living room and a singular 'door' to the balcony, rather than double French doors.
Ornamental Plasterwork
The walls in the apartment are described as 'strak gestuukt' (smoothly plastered), indicating no ornamental plasterwork, although the communal entrance has vaults.
Interior Style
Scandinavian
The kitchen is in a light color scheme and there is a lot of light, but the style is not explicitly Scandinavian and lacks characteristic Scandinavian elements.
Modern
The apartment was renovated in 2013 with a focus on contemporary comfort, featuring a modern kitchen, a high modern glass door, and sleek smooth plastered walls.
Industrial
The conversion of a former school combined with exposed historical trusses and high ceilings gives a slight industrial vibe, but it is heavily mixed with modern and classic elements.
Mediterranean
There are no architectural features, colors, or materials mentioned that suggest a Mediterranean style.
Classic
The building is a Municipal Monument from 1915 where historical elements, vaults in the entrance, and original beams have been intentionally preserved.
Exterior Style
Traditional Historic
The listing explicitly states it is a Municipal Monument built in 1915 where historical elements and details were kept intact during the renovation.
Early 20th Century
The construction year is explicitly listed as 1915, which falls squarely into the early 20th century.
Post War Functional
Built in 1915, this predates the post-war era, and its monumental status contradicts mass-produced post-war functional style.
Modernist
While the interior features modern elements like a modern kitchen and doors, the building itself is a preserved 1915 monument, so the overall architectural style is not modernist.
Newly Build
The listing indicates it is 'Bestaande bouw' (existing construction) from 1915, with a renovation in 2013.
Kitchen
Dishwasher
The listing explicitly mentions a dishwasher ('vaatwasser op hoogte geplaatst').
Microwave
The listing explicitly mentions a combi-microwave ('combimagnetron').
Refrigerator
The listing mentions a fridge-freezer combination ('koel/vriescombinatie').
Freezer
The listing mentions a fridge-freezer combination ('koel/vriescombinatie').
Kitchen Island
The kitchen is described as placed in a corner ('in een hoek geplaatst') and extended with a work corner, not as an island.
Open Plan Kitchen
The listing mentions wide doors to all rooms from the hallway, implying separate rooms rather than an open plan layout.
Pantry
There is a separate utility room ('washok') for storage and appliances, but no specific pantry is mentioned.
Stove
The listing explicitly mentions an induction cooktop ('inductie kookplaat').
Induction Stove
The listing explicitly mentions an induction cooktop ('inductie kookplaat').
Downdraft Extractor
The listing mentions a flat-screen extractor ('vlakscherm afzuiger'), not a downdraft extractor.
Shared Kitchen
The apartment is described as having its own modern kitchen, with no indication it is shared.
Design Kitchen
Described as a modern kitchen in a light color scheme with a natural stone countertop, but not explicitly branded as a high-end design kitchen.
New Kitchen
The renovation took place in 2013, making the kitchen over 10 years old.
Parking & Storage
Parking
The listing explicitly mentions a parking space in front of the garage ('parkeerplaats vóór de garage').
Storage Room
The listing explicitly mentions a storage room on the ground floor ('bergings op de begane grond', 'Externe bergruimte 23 m²').
Garage
The listing explicitly mentions an own garage ('eigen garage', 'Garagebox').
Automatic Garage Door
The listing mentions an electrically operated sectional door ('elektrisch te bedienen en geïsoleerde segmentendeur').
Double Garage
The listing states the garage capacity is 1 auto and mentions placing bikes next to the car, indicating it is not a double garage.
Attic
There is no mention of an attic in the description or features.
Cellar
There is no mention of a cellar; the storage is located on the ground floor.
Bike Storage
The listing states you can place bikes next to the car in the garage ('fietsen naast de auto kan plaatsen').
Covered Parking
The garage provides covered parking for the car.
Underground Parking
There is no mention of underground parking; the garage and parking space appear to be at ground level.
Ev Charging
The listing mentions standard power outlets in the garage that are handy for an electric car, but does not specify a dedicated EV charging station.
Workshop
There is no mention of a workshop in the listing.
Shed
There is no mention of a shed; there is a ground-floor storage room and a garage.
Rules
Owners Association
The listing explicitly mentions a VvE (Owners Association) named 'VVE De Singel' with monthly costs of € 326,19.
Leasehold
The listing states the property situation is 'Volle eigendom' (Full ownership), indicating it is not leasehold.
Oa Chamber Of Commerce Registered
The VvE checklist explicitly states 'Inschrijving KvK: Ja' (Chamber of Commerce registration: Yes).
Oa Annual Meeting
The VvE checklist explicitly states 'Jaarlijkse vergadering: Ja' (Annual meeting: Yes).
Oa Fees
The VvE checklist states 'Periodieke bijdrage: Ja (€ 326,19 per maand)' indicating monthly fees are charged.
Oa Reserve Fund
The VvE checklist explicitly states 'Reservefonds aanwezig: Ja' (Reserve fund present: Yes).
Oa Maintenance Plan
The VvE checklist explicitly states 'Onderhoudsplan: Ja' (Maintenance plan: Yes).
Oa Buildings Insurance
The VvE checklist explicitly states 'Opstalverzekering: Ja' (Buildings insurance: Yes).
Other Rules
The listing notes specific rules: pets are allowed, hard floors are permitted only if free from walls due to piping, and window washing is included in the VvE.
Open Viewing
No open viewing dates or times are listed.
Safety & Accessibility
Elevator
The listing explicitly states that to go to the apartment, one has a choice between the stairs or the lift.
Private Entrance
The listing explicitly describes a 'gezamenlijke entree' (shared entrance) for the building, meaning there is no private street-level entrance.
Automatic Gate
The listing mentions an electrically operated garage door, but there is no mention of an automatic gate for the community or driveway.
Gated Community
There is no mention of a fenced perimeter or security gates restricting access to the residential grounds.
Wheelchair Accessible
The listing explicitly states it is 'Rolstoelvriendelijk vanwege de brede deuren' (wheelchair friendly due to wide doors), includes an elevator, and is listed as accessible for people with disabilities.
Utilities & Technical
Washing Machine Connections
There is a dedicated washok (laundry room) with space for a washing machine, making it highly likely that the necessary connections are present.
Laundry Room
The listing explicitly describes a separate 'Washok' (laundry room) that also houses the CV installation and electrical panel.
Smart Home
No smart home features, systems, or home automation are mentioned in the description or features list.
Ventilation System
The listing explicitly mentions a 'mechanisch ventilatiesysteem' (mechanical ventilation system) in the utility room, as well as general mechanical and natural ventilation throughout the apartment.
Water Softener
No water softener is mentioned, which is standard as they are very rare in Dutch apartments.
Energy Efficiency
Solar Panels
No mention of solar panels in the description or features list.
Double Glazing
The description explicitly states that HR++ glass is installed in the living room and balcony door.
Triple Glazing
The listing specifies HR++ glass, which is a type of double glazing, with no mention of triple glazing.
Wall Insulation
The features section states 'Volledig geïsoleerd' (Fully insulated), which in Dutch real estate standardly encompasses wall insulation.
Floor Insulation
The property is listed as 'Volledig geïsoleerd'. The floor is described with sound-insulating and fire-resistant Fermacell elements, but specific thermal floor insulation is not explicitly detailed.
Roof Insulation
The features state 'Volledig geïsoleerd', implying roof insulation, although it is a second-floor apartment and specific roof details are not provided.
Heat Pump
The listing explicitly mentions a gas-fired combi boiler (Intergas HRE from 2014) for heating and hot water.
Home Battery
There is no mention of a home battery or any energy storage system in the text.
Other Energy Efficiency Measures
The property features full insulation, HR++ double glazing, a combination of mechanical and natural ventilation systems, and an insulated electric garage door.