The Eindhoven city council will conduct a feasibility study into rebuilding the city’s former city hall. This decision follows a petition to restore the historic landmark, which received more than 1,100 signatures. The executive board (college van B&W) will explore whether reconstructing the building is a viable option for the future.
The campaign gained momentum in November 2025, when initiators Sander Perquin, Rick Vermulst, and Bauke Hüsken presented the petition to Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem and the newly appointed councillor for heritage, Remco van Dooren. Van Dooren praised the initiative, noting how positive it is to see residents so engaged with the city’s history. The organisers are also working on a formal citizens’ motion (burgermotie) to ensure the municipal council votes on the matter.
A non-religious iconic city hall
The original city hall, built in 1869 on the Rechtestraat, was one of the first non-religious buildings. It was designed in a neo-Gothic style. It replaced a building that had served as a town hall since the 16th century. In 1967, the authorities demolished the hall to make way for a road that was never actually constructed. In a recent letter to the council, the city leadership suggested that rebuilding the hall could help heal the “pain” caused by its loss.
The council also plans to explore alternative ways to honour the building’s memory. These options include reconstructing only the facade or finding other creative ways to integrate the site’s history into the modern urban landscape. The feasibility study will form part of the redevelopment plans for the (Krabbendampad) area, a site currently used mainly as a car park. The executive board has expressed its intention to keep the residents involved in the proposal in all future developments.
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