"The construction of the controversial building has begun", announced in early February the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield group, the promoter, while the project was launched 14 years ago, in 2008 and faced numerous disputes. .
Located within the confines of the exhibition center in the 15th arrondissement, this project should create 42 floors of offices, a luxury hotel, a health center and a few shops.
The works are supposed to be completed in 2026, i.e. "four years of absolute martyrdom for the residents" according to Philippe Goujon, historical opponent of the project and LR mayor of the 15th century, who denounces the uselessness of this tower, as well as the noise pollution and visual it may cause.
For Claire, whose windows overlook the exhibition center, the annoyance is at its maximum: “We will only see little bits of sky, here and there.
We really have the impression that it's the concrete lobby that rules,” she regrets.
For Josiane, who lives a few buildings further, the observation is the same: “we've been saying for years that we don't want it!
But we little people, we suffer, we are not listened to.
Now that the work has begun, there is no danger of it stopping.
" For Olivier Rigaud, vice-president of the association of Young Parisians, who speaks for the dismayed residents, "this concrete tower is not consistent with the objectives of COP 26, nor the needs in terms of offices, since there are a myriad of empty offices in the borough".
The Paris prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation in June for "favouritism" around the concession on which the tower is to be built.
Entrusted to the URW group for eighty years, in exchange for an annual fee of 2 million euros paid to the town hall, the building must house more than 91,000 m2 of surface area, three quarters of which will be devoted to offices.
“I don't know if that can stop the site, stop it or condemn it.
I have doubts even if the grip on the ground is part of the investigation, explained Philippe Goujon.
But one thing is certain, the city is giving up towers in the 13th arrondissement but does not hesitate to disfigure the entire urban landscape of the 15th arrondissement with this 180m high tower”.