The John G. Eman restoration project is progressing steadily, and the implementation phase is about to begin
ORANJESTAD — The project to restore and repurpose the historic "John G. Eman" building on Caya G.F. Betico Croes is progressing steadily.
On September 29, 2026, the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, and Primary Sector, Geoffrey Wever, met with the Monuments Fund Aruba (SMFA) to receive an update on project progress and coordinate the next steps for the start of physical works.
Present at the meeting were Minister Wever, Monuments Fund project manager Ms. Jenilee Schotborg, program manager Ms. Anne Witsenburg, and Monuments Fund director Ms. Petra Davis.
The next major milestone is scheduled for October 2, 2026, when the public tender for the first phase of the project will take place. This phase involves demolition work, removing all non-monumental parts of the building to prepare the structure for restoration. Demolition work is expected to begin in mid-October. To officially mark the start of this phase, a symbolic kick-off moment with a sledgehammer is planned for mid-October.
The John G. Eman project has followed a journey of several key steps. At the initiative of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs, and Primary Sector, the Monuments Fund Aruba explored the possibility of restoring and repurposing the old Aruba Bank building to house the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and the Social-Economic Council (SER). The study showed that the building could combine offices for both institutions with residential units and commercial/hospitality space.
In October 2024, the Council of Ministers approved the lease agreements for the CBS and SER in the building. On December 4, 2024, Minister Wever signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aruba Bank N.V., the Monuments Fund Aruba, and the Dutch Restoration Fund (Restauratiefonds Nederland), taking a concrete step to enable the purchase, financing, restoration, and repurposing of the building.
Another important milestone was reached in December 2025 with the official transfer of the building to the Monuments Fund Aruba. Now, in 2026, the project is entering its next phase: direct preparation for the start of physical works.
In parallel, work is underway on the final design phase for the future offices of the CBS and SER. Plans for the hospitality and apartment spaces are also in the final stages of consultation and development.
The concept of the John G. Eman building reflects the model promoted by the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, and Primary Sector for the revitalization of Oranjestad: combining office, residential, and commercial/hospitality activities in a single building to create greater vibrancy and dynamism in the downtown area throughout different times of the day. This concept has been part of the project's vision from the very beginning.
