Odalys Group inaugurates new student residence in Porto, on September 20th

PROMGRANJO SA, representative of the companies of Belgian origin - Promiris and Cetim and the French Group Odalys inaugurate on September 20, at 15h00, the Odalys Porto Granjo Centro, a residence for students with 212 rooms, located in the centre of Porto. This Residence is the first project in Portugal of the Odalys Group, which adds this one to several existing spaces in France and Spain. 

For the inauguration, are already confirmed the presence of the town councillors for Economy and Urbanism of the Municipality of Porto, as well as Christian Terlinden Managing Partner of Promiris, Patrick Lemerle partner of Cetim and Laurent Dusollier, CEO of Odalys Group. 

Odalys Porto Granjo Centro offers a privileged location, with easy access to the public transportation network and close to schools and universities - 600 meters from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto (UP), 2.5kms from the Law Faculty of UP and several other institutions and central points of the city.

Composed by 212 rooms, 20 of them as tourist accommodation, fully equipped and furnished, the spaces are divided between sleeping area, bathroom, dining area with kitchenette and work area with high speed internet connection. In the Residence, students can also enjoy several other services and spaces, which include 24h reception and security, cleaning service, laundry, cafeteria, gym, social room, coworking areas and a 2.000m2 garden.

This new residence, in addition to responding to the strong growth in the number of national and international higher education students in Porto, also enhances the space where it is located, rebuilding a place that was vacant and giving it new life and dynamics. Keeping the original architecture of the building, including the façade and the existing industrial chimney, the space was rehabilitated in order to maintain its original identity but turning it into a modern and young building.

"The Odalys Group, renowned in the market of student residences with 28 units in France and Spain, is very pleased to open its first Odalys Campus residence in Portugal, in the city of Porto. This new student residence, in addition to responding to the strong growth in the number of national and international higher education students in Porto, benefits from a unique location in an old industrial building carefully renovated. While the facades and chimneys of the factory have been preserved to maintain the historical character of the site, the interior space has been completely transformed and redesigned, with the creation of smart and comfortable shared and connected spaces. Two other openings are already planned, in Porto in September 2023 and in Lisbon in the first quarter of 2024," explains Laurent Dusollier, CEO of the Odalys Group.

"Promiris was one of the first players to identify, in Portugal, the need for student residences that were built by professional and international operators, in order to guarantee the best comfort, safety and support for students and parents. This form of accommodation is predominant in Northern Europe and we believe that it will gradually replace the option of local and uncontrolled student housing. In addition, we always privilege the rehabilitation of buildings and energy efficiency, accessibility and quality of life", says Christian Terlinden, Managing Partner of Promiris. 

For his part, Patrick Lemerle, partner of CETIM, is delighted with the city of Porto, noting that "the operator of student residences, Odalys, which was looking for a partner to establish itself in the Portuguese market, also fell in love with this typical central district, the ideal space to develop a remarkable project integrated into the community, such as this one".  Patrick Lemerle also adds that this is a project with a strong European presence, as it brings together "a Belgian developer, a French Odalys Group manager and a Flemish Xior investor to carry out a project in Portugal! Besides this, we had the participation of several local partners who contributed to the realization of this successful project. In this sense, it is also important to thank the Porto City Hall, which was sensitive to this project created by Fragmentos and executed by Garcia & Garcia. We are very happy to be able to deliver this project to the city, maintaining its identity and history through the chimney that will work almost like a lighthouse over the city", he concludes.