The Fenix History
“The two historic Fenix warehouses are located on the Veerlaan in Katendrecht, located on the Rijnhaven. The original warehouse originate from around 1923. This is approximately the same period in which the existing old center of Katendrecht was built (around 1880-1900). The warehouses were once built under the name “San Francisco” and were the largest harbour storage warehouses in the world around 1923. The original warehouses were housed in a volume of approximately three hundred meters, which stretched over a large part of the north flank of Katendrecht. The warehouses were open at the bottom. An “arcade” ran along Deliplein, where covered wagons and later the first trucks could load and unload. There were also some openings in this arcade that offered a view of the quay and the Rijnhaven from the square.
Ruined
At the end of the war, in 1945 just before the capitulation, the warehouses were blown up. A large part of the construction of the warehouses and the facades on the side of the old Katendrecht survived this attack. A fire completely destroyed the center of the warehouse.
Katendrecht in the 1950's
The well-known ‘canteen building’ was built on the site of the burnt-out part of the warehouse, fixed to Fenixloods I, creating a square between Fenixloods I and Fenixloods II. From that moment on there is no longer a single warehouse, but two warehouses, Fenix I and Fenix II.
From Destruction to Resurrection
Heijmans redeveloped the Fenix I warehouse . The project combines apartments, a theater, commercial offices, shops and a small boutique hotel. The apartments are built on top of the original warehouse and have a pleasing & modern appearance.
The old warehouse is restored and renovated to its former glory on the outside.
2019
Spend the night ?
Bed, Bites & Business is an exeptional and senstationary boutique hotel located on the beautiful water of Rijnhaven, with stunning views of Rotterdam’s metropolitan skyline.
Find within walking distance all the tourist attractions you can think of from museums, theatres, restaurants and much more.
The entire Bed, Bites & Business hotel is decorated with a retrospect to the past of Rotterdam’s Fenix sheds. The hotel rooms are luxurious, extraordinary, elegant and reflect back to the past. The historic Fenix I building where Bed, Bites & Business is located was built just after the First World War. In all suites, ranging from the smaller classic rooms to the Rijnhaven suites, you will find blackout curtains, luxurious minimalist beds your dreams will come true in, Italian Marazzi in the bathrooms tiles, soothing rain showers by Grohe. On the walls hang beautiful artworks by Rotterdam artists.