The work of the last large structuring infrastructure of EuroMediterranean will begin this year. A symbolic step to restructure the northern entrance of Marseille, disfigured since nearly forty years by the arrival of the highway in the city. The last Board of Directors of the public development of Marseille operation (Epaem) approved the new plan for funding of EUR 50 million project that integrates the decline of the motorway on 500 metres, a retention basin, a parking lot in 500 places and requalification of the district between the gare Saint-Charles and the door-. "". "In the words of the urban planner David Mangin, this major entrance to the city was built in hollow, in the sense as in the figurative sense, and it is impoverished, with many spaces dormant" notes François Jalinot, Director of the Epaem. The development fits in the ZAC Saint-Charles - door - Aix and will draw on the guidelines of the plan drawn by Fortier and Saviglat cabinet in 2003. "We vegetated space with the creation of a public garden of 1 hectare," he said. The concept original, very mineral, had been criticized by residents. Now a stage of consultation is planned for this new ZAC.![]()
One of the General ideas of the transformation of the district is to accompany the development of the student life in the city, one of the new strategic axes of the municipality. The Defferre years were marked by the establishment of the campus on the outskirts (Saint-Jérôme, Luminy). "But life stops at 18 hours in a city in the heart of which there are no students," said the Mayor, Jean-Claude Gaudin.

Two poles of attractiveness are therefore retained, near the Faculty of law and Economics open on the Canebière in 2000, and the school Saint-Charles, where two student residences in 145 dwellings in total have been conducted and two others are planned. The city will also build an inter-university library and grouping four research laboratories in public economics and health economics. Finally, private business ESCG school moved in the sector.
Students targeted
Housing will be also densified to permanently change the image of this sector. "With the consummation of the Anru, it can produce quite affordable, around 3,000 euros per square metre, with a 5.5 VAT," notes François Jalinot. First to position themselves on the site, Constructa had to postpone some projects pending the completion of archaeological excavations, and has just completed a building of 43 housing sold in rental (Investor ING Reim) before build 120 others and a residence Hotel 120 additional housing on nearby land. Finally the ZAC provides the realization of shops, a school group, a gymnasium and approximately 25,000 m2 of offices.
The year 2009 will also be one of the selection of the urban project of extension of EuroMediterranean 170 HA, in addition to the initial perimeter of 310 ha. In December, the Board of Directors of the Epaem selected 3 teams of planners on the 38 applications received respectively led by Nicolas Michelin, Bruno Fortier and François Leclerq , which must develop their programmes on the basis of a sustainable urban development project, leaving a wide room for consultation. "I want to strengthen the dialogue with the people who too often have the feeling of not being sufficiently associated with committed changes," said Guy Teissier, President of EuroMediterranean, who wants to avoid that the operation giving birth to a business district.
To instill more urbanity, builds on students, green spaces and the dialogue. It also has a popular and festive ownership with "Marseille" 2013. Most of the major structuring projects which must be a European capital of culture this year there are indeed registered within the perimeter of EuroMediterranean. This is the case of the Museum of civilization in Europe and the Mediterranean (Mucem), in cartons from the selection of the project of Rudy Ricciotti. To allow its opening in 2013, the Government comes to EUR 5 million under the economic recovery Plan, to start work in September. Unless the charge, filed by two associations of residents against the building permits granted in the spring of 2008, disrupts this planning.
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