The renovation projects at the Jewish Museum in Brussels and the Forest Abbey will benefit from additional budgets of €3.35 million and €3 million respectively.
The news was announced by Karine Lalieux, Federal Minister for Beliris, on Monday, with the decision having been taken on Friday by the Beliris Cooperation Committee.
Planning permission for the renovation project at the Jewish Museum, just a stone's throw from the Sablon, was granted by the Brussels Region last July. With the additional budget freed up, the federal infrastructure development manager Beliris can now launch the public works contract.
The works at Forest Abbey aim to renovate and strengthen its role as a cultural hub. It wants to bring together, on the same site, the Forest Academy of Music, Dance and the Spoken Arts; the French-speaking Library; BRASS - the cultural centre; the Forest Youth Centre and the municipality's Youth Department.
Work began in April 2023 with demolition and asbestos removal. "Work on the second phase, under the supervision of Beliris, will start in 2024 and will include restoration work on the abbey and the construction of the new library," explained Minister Lalieux's office.
