Measuring 150 metres, the reflective dark façade of the Tour du Midi (Midi Tower) has marked the Brussels skyline since its construction almost 60 years ago. But the building is in dire need of renovation with the government now debating the €141 million project.
Though the 38-story tower remains an imposing landmark from the exterior, inside the edifice is dilapidated and would benefit from modernised electrical systems and improvements to the outer surface that would reduce its energy consumption by 65%. Currently home to the Ministry of Pensions, work on the building would require moving the 1,800 civil servants that occupy the space today.
However, the tall cost has been cause for disagreement among ministers, with the State Secretary for the Budget Alexia Bertrand saying that the dossier is not yet ready to be signed off. Pensions Minister Karine Lalieux confirmed that the file will be discussed by the Counsel of Ministers on 15 March. The sticking points make it difficult to envisage work starting this year.
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Panoramic view with the Hotel Brussels (left), the Palais de Justice (central) and the Tour du Midi (right), May 2009. Credit: Belga / Kristof Van Accom
The Ministry of Pensions is eager to complete the work on Belgium's tallest building before 2030 – a target that also has been set to complete renovations of the Palais de Justice.
Lalieux stressed the importance of the work to L'Echo: "A complete renovation is becoming urgent in terms of security, energy sustainability, and work environment." She added that failure to carry out the modernisation would risk the building becoming unsuitable as a workspace.
But the proposals have divided the regional government, who have sought clarifications for the hefty price tag.
Spreading the work and spreading the cost
To make the cost manageable, the Ministry of Pensions points out that the investment would be made over a period of 20 years, whilst work would be finished by 2029. Furthermore, it proposes concentrating the department into 18 floors to make available 16 floors that it uses currently.
The ministry highlights changing work habits, most notably teleworking, which mean that staff presence at the office is now at 70%. A broader adoption of teleworking would mean that its operations could be compacted. In total, this would free up 23,000 m2 which could be rented.
Head administrator of the ministry Sarah Scaillet is hopeful that in combination with the energy savings, the financial outlay for the project would be paid back within 20 years. She emphasised that this is "a very important project for Brussels that will be an example of public administration."
Like it or loath it, there's no ignoring Belgium's tallest building. Completed in 1967, the work to modernise it will come at huge cost to the State. Credit: Belga
As with previous work on the building undertaken in 1995 and 1996, the renovation would be done floor by floor, meaning the building could at least partly be used.
The Tour du Midi has space for around 2,500 people overall working in its office space. It's estimated value after renovation would be around €265 million, around €100 million more than today.
