Perhaps you’ve wondered about the story behind the name David Van Beverstraat. This Brussels street in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre stretches 290 meters from Rue Kelle to Avenue Edmond Parmentier. David Van Beverstraat is named for a soldier. His full name was David Antoine François Van Bever. He was born in Brussels on January 3, 1891. David Van Bever died on March 25, 1915 in Noordschote during World War I. At the time of his death, he lived in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.
Interestingly, the street follows an old path. In 1808, it was called Sentier de Lauzemet. By 1842, it was known as Chemin number 23 or Luyzemerktweg. Around 1900, people called it Luizenmerkt or Drie Bunderstraat. Luizenmerkt could mean flea market. Drie Bunderstraat translates to avenue of the Three Bonniers. The street officially became David Van Beverstraat in 1918.
What’s fascinating is that David Van Beverstraat remained undeveloped until about 1900. Then, about forty buildings went up before the street was even officially planned. The street’s layout happened in two stages. In 1909, the municipality assigned Édouard Van Waeg to create a plan. He was a surveyor and the municipal secretary. The communal council approved the plan on June 12, 1909. The first section was developed soon after. It ran from Avenue E. Parmentier to the future Avenue Edmond Mertens. This section was ten meters wide. The second section toward Rue Kelle wasn’t developed until 1933. The council approved these plans on May 23, 1933. Félicien Flamand, a contractor, carried out the work. This part of David Van Beverstraat opened to traffic on August 14, 1934.
Most buildings on David Van Beverstraat are working-class houses. About half were built between 1899 and 1914. Many are identical houses. These resulted from larger or smaller real estate projects. Some were built by small contractors. Examples include numbers 5 to 9 built in 1909. Numbers 22 and 24, 34 and 36 from 1929, were designed by architect Denayer. Also included are numbers 53 and 55, 57 to 63 from 1924 and 1925. These were built by entrepreneur J. Schoonejans. Numbers 66 and 68 date back to 1908. Numbers 72 and 74, 77 and 79, 80 and 82 from 1911 and 84 to 88 from 1911 are other examples. Few of these buildings still look as they originally did.
A recurring type included stables, barns, pigsties, ovens, or rear annexes. Examples are numbers 12 to 18 from around 1906. Numbers 31 and 33 from 1904, 44 and 46 built in 1904, 48 and 50 from 1904. Also included are numbers 81 and 83 from 1899 and 90 and 92 from 1912 and 1899. Numbers 11 and 13 are typical examples. Number 11 was a two-level working-class house. It was built in 1909 by master mason Pierre Geno. Number 13 was a smaller barn. It was converted into a house in 1913. These small farms likely provided extra income. They supplemented income for traders and workers. Later, the stables and barns were converted into houses. Their narrow width still reveals their original purpose.
Sometimes ground floors housed small businesses. In the 1920s, number 8 had a gas pump. There were also workshops or pubs. Between the wars, more modest houses were built. Some larger houses also appeared. Number 20 from 1937 is in the modernist style. It was designed by architect Jean Balis. Number 38 from 1932 had a plastered facade until 2005. It had brick elements and a rectangular awning. Upstairs, a bas-relief depicted a lioness. These elements disappeared during renovation. After World War II, remaining vacant lots were filled with small houses. So as you stroll down David Van Beverstraat, remember its layers of history. From soldier’s tribute to evolving architecture, it reflects Brussels’ past.