Euroméditerranée

Euroméditerranée is a project launched since 1992 on the initiative of the mayor of Marseilles Robert Vigouroux and of the State then taken again firmly in hand by the current mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin. This project, financed by the European Union, the State, the Area, the Department, the Urban community and the Town of Marseilles, should be completed in 2012.

Three districts which badly aged: the Beautiful one of May, Saint-Charles and Joliette, on a surface of 3,1 km ² will be reorganized with a budget of 3 billion euros of public investments and deprived over one 15 years duration. All will be reorganized for the creation of true a Quartier of businesses to the international radiation: urban developments, residences, trade, creation of hundreds of thousands of square meters of offices.

The project

the project envisages

  • the reception of 10.000 new inhabitants on the perimeter
  • the construction of 1,2 million m ² of new floors of which:
    • 600.000 m ² of offices to the international standards (of which 150.000 were already delivered, located at old the docks of Joliette inaugurated in July 2003) to support the establishment of banks, insurance companies and companies of international business and to finally be able to compete with Lyon, Lille and Grenoble: CMA-CGM, the 3rd company of world navigation, installed its head office there and makes build a tower of 147 meters (inauguration envisaged in 2009). There will be also others scrapes-ciels as the Tour Icade which will make 140m top and the Tour SAS Sweden, included/understood in a whole of residential buildings and offices, which will reach 130m.
    • 400.000 m ² of residences
    • 200.000 m ² of trade, public equipment
  • the rehabilitation of 6.000 decayed and unhealthy residences
  • the creation and the installation of 20 hectares public spaces
  • a plan of construction and restoration of the old schools and realization of crêches
  • a plan for the use and the creation of activities for the inhabitants of the district whose unemployment rate is one of highest of Marseilles (in 2006 still largely higher than 20% but which exceeded 30% in 2000)
  • the development of the intellectual radiation of Marseilles thanks to the creation of cultural equipment.
    • harbor space the City of the Mediterranean will accommodate on 110 hectares located in major part on the harbor field the Museum of the Ages of Europe and of the Mediterranean, the Center of the Sea, the Training center with International Management, a complex of congress and exposures, a harbor station, trade and restaurants, one multiplex of 16 rooms in a top-of-the-range technological context. Luc Besson wishes to make carry out " a complex entirely turned towards the spectator: I accumulated the ideas. I will sort the best to give desire to people for leaving to them télévision".
    • the old Grain silo of the Wearing of Marseilles will shelter a reproduction with identical of Olympia to Paris, with a capacity of 2.000 places.
    • the old Manufacture of the Tobaccos of the Belle de Mai (called commonly Belle de Mai Waste land), was entirely rehabilitated. It is articulated from now on in three poles:
      • the first, inaugurated in June 2004, offering to the professionals of the spectacle and audio-visual all the infrastructures active of the writing of a scenario to its realization
      • the second accommodates the Interregional Center of Conservation and Restoration of the Inheritance, the Files of Marseilles and the Reserves of the Museums.
      • the third lodges the System Waste land Theater, regrouping of companies and structures of artistic creation and spectacles.

  • the refitting of the infrastructures of transit

    • creation of the Pole Transport Marseilles Saint-Charles (station TGV is operational since 2001) the opening of the Market Honnorat (length 160 m X width 40 m X height 15 m) will join together by an interior street, trains, bus, subways, bus, taxis… and the University with the Large Staircases.
    • Inaugurated in December 2002, the Tunnel of the Major eliminated from surface the through traffic, while making it possible to join A55 in a few minutes since the south of Marseilles, by the Tunnel Prado-Careenage, or since the Tunnel of the Old man-Port.
    • new inaugurated harbor station in September 2005 which will make it possible to compete with Barcelona and Genoa.
    • refitting envisaged of the Door of Aix where a7 highway will not emerge any more and creation of the place of the Triumphal arch, released from circulation.
    • creation of a line of tram, brought into service on June 30th, 2007, borrowing the Street of the Republic and serving 26 stations. Its terminus is located at Euroméditerranée-Gantès near office buildings still in construction.
    • refitting of the viaduct of the littoral.
    • construction of new carparks: Street of the Republic (800 places) Saint-Charles (2 carparks: 1.600 places), Quoted of the Mediterranean (3 000 places).

Since the launching of Euroméditerranée 650 companies were established of which the half coming from the foreigner and more than 5.000 new employment were created contributing cause a drop in a little unemployment rate in the downtown area.

Criticisms local

However with the evocation of Euroméditerranée, the Marseillais retort: chamboulement ceaseless of the directions of circulation, interminable stoppers, considerable reduction in the short parking a true nightmare.

In addition on the site of Euroméditerranée, where the districts poorest of Marseilles are found, co-education passes by the maintenance of the current residents and by the contribution of populations of intermediate category but one would need a true political courage to manage to impose that vis-a-vis the pressure of the market.

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