The first project that the City of Antwerp completed in 2000-2003 in Antwerp’s red light district or Schipperskwartier was the renovation of the rundown Stadsmagazijn, which was occupied by squatters. It was the first impulse project in the neighbourhood. Until then the red light district was synonymous of prostitution and criminality, dominated by neon lights, seedy bars and counterfeit goods. The nerve centre was Falconplein.

The city started by imposing strict conditions for window prostitution and drove out rogue traders. A first step in the process to normalisation and revitalisation.
The policy plan, “Schipperskwartier, een verleidelijk stukje Antwerpen” (a seductive part of Antwerp), in 2002 introduced a diverse programme of social, economic and urban renewal investments. The main elements were the Falconplein-Zeemanshuis building block project, Barreiro, the GH@PRO health centre for prostitutes and a series of Vespa projects (among others projects for vacant corners). Private individuals could conclude renovation conctracts. A workshop policy made available empty display windows to artists. 
The policy, which was implemented from 2000 until 2007, reduced the number of prostitution streets from 17 to 3. As a result 111 vacant properties were turned into housing, shops, pubs and restaurants again. Falconplein was completely redesigned and became a central neighbourhood square as a new link between MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) and the neighbourhood around the Academy – the new cultural artery between Eilandje and the city centre.