Picture the Langbroekdreef a long road cutting through Nellestein. This is Nellestein a residential area in Amsterdam’s Zuidoost. It’s a unique neighbourhood built mostly in the 1970s. Nellestein sits nestled between the Gaasperplas lake and Gaasperpark. Unlike other parts of Gaasperdam Nellestein is primarily high-rise apartments. These aren’t the honeycomb flats of the Bijlmermeer but stand-alone buildings with parking garages. Closer to the Gaasperplas the buildings become shorter.
Nellestein is a green and park-like area. Construction began in 1977 and finished in 1982. The housing stock mostly consists of more expensive apartments both for sale and rent. The only main road is the Langbroekdreef. Smaller streets squares and courts all bear names of places in the provinces of Gelderland Utrecht or Zuid-Holland. Each name starts with the letter L.
Public transport is easy. Metro line 53 terminates at the Gaasperplas station on Nellestein’s eastern edge. Bus lines 47 and 49 also stop there. Bus 47 goes towards Gein. Nellestein itself has no shops anymore. Residents rely on the Kameleon shopping centre. This is across the Gaasperdammerweg. Reigersbos and Gein also offer shopping options. There used to be a supermarket in Nellestein. It’s gone now leaving an empty building behind. But Nellestein is more than just buildings and streets.
In 2024 Nellestein hosted a Grachtenfestival concert. The event originally scheduled for outdoors moved inside the Daltonschool. Over 125 people attended this duo concert featuring violin viola and clarinet. It was a memorable afternoon featuring classic and modern pieces. Even the composer Aristide Moari was present. The event organisers were pleased that the indoor venue worked so well. It would have been very difficult to hear the concert outside in the strong winds and rain which started shortly after the concert ended.
Nellestein’s residents are quite active. There’s a residents association that organises events. One such event is a yearly neighbourhood day. This features activities for all ages. There’s a bouncy castle a guided walk a bootcamp music a clean-up group a picnic and gymnastics for seniors. The residents’ association is actively seeking participants for community events. These include writers poets musicians singers conductors artists and members of a community choir. The aim is to offer creative opportunities for the people of Nellestein.
The arrival of a new bus line the 360 route caused friction. New bus stops were added to the Langbroekdreef. This upset many local residents who considered them unnecessary given the nearby Gaasperplas station. The story of these bus stops has even become the subject of a local website. Nellestein’s story isn’t just about construction and local politics. It’s a story of community resilience creativity and engagement. It’s a neighbourhood with a heart and soul a place where people are actively shaping their community. This is Nellestein a neighbourhood with its own unique charm.