The demolition of the old main stand started at the end of February, along with the two smaller stands that flanked the central part, and the little buildings on the edge of the stadium. These will be replaced by a total new principal stand and an E-stand. The main stand is designed for 3.700 soccer fans, of which 1.250 business seats and 150 places for the press are included.
The general contractor Groep Versluys, together with BAM-contractors, will do everything to pull off this difficult feat within 5 months to make it possible for KV Oostende to play in their new grandstand at the start of the new football season.
The precast concrete structure with curved facade and bulb roof consists of columns, 2 mezzanine floors with beams and hollow core slabs, of which two separated beams with a height of 1,9 m, a width of 0,54 m and a length of 23,75 m to span the VIP-rooms and to support the stand above.
The stand consist of stair beams with a weight up to 42 tons, covered with 219 single and double gradins with 2 different heights. The roof was designed with cantilever I-roofbeams with variable height and a span of 15,5 up to 23 m which are anchored with a post-tensioning on variable levels (difference up to +/- 5 m).
The precast concrete structure was erected by Ergon in only 5 weeks.
The current capacity of the complete structure will not change. It will be maintained at 8.000 places, but it will have a modern look and the grandstand in particular will meet UEFA-standards.
This project is going to cost 16 millions of Euros and the complete structure must be finished at the end of 2017.