Philippe Goujon, the mayor (LR) of the 15th century believed the Triangle tower to be buried.
This hope, shared by many detractors, was shattered on November 1 when developer Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield announced that construction of this 40-storey pyramid would start "by the end of the year" at the Porte de Versailles (15th century), thanks to the financial support of Axa.
Hostile, the Parisian right returned to the charge on this highly contested project during the Paris Council on Wednesday.
"15,000 tonnes of concrete, glass and steel"
"Like" the hydra of Lerna "whose heads regenerate as soon as they are cut off, the Triangle Tower reappears each time it is believed to be engulfed. This energy-hungry juggernaut, never satisfied, with 15,000 tonnes of concrete, glass and steel is just a gigantic island of heat! », Lamented, emphatically, Philippe Goujon, charged by the group Changer Paris (LR) to cross swords with Anne Hidalgo on this controversial subject, during current issues. The former tenor of the Parisian right regretted that Paris "imitates all these globalized megalopolises, impersonal and of a common banality".
Contesting the economic attractiveness of the project in this post-Covid period where teleworking is on the rise, the mayor of the 15th century lamented that the project was born despite the opposition of residents, environmental associations and local elected officials .
A turnaround from Philippe Goujon?
“You've changed your mind about the Triangle Tower.
If this tower is built, it is because the Council of Paris decided it in 2015 ”, replied Emmanuel Grégoire (PS) in a general hubbub on the benches of the right.
An allusion to the turnaround of Philippe Goujon who initially supported the project.
Taking up the metaphor of the opponent, Anne Hidalgo's right-hand man wished that "two heads do not grow back" if the hydra were to be beheaded.
And the mayor (PS) of Paris to drive the point home: “Mr. Philippe Goujon with whom I had so much happiness, even before being mayor of Paris, to chair public meetings where we defended the Triangle tower, you have two minutes to answer, ”quipped Anne Hidalgo (PS), who was 15th district councilor from 2001 to 2020.
A different context in 2021
"For those who change their minds, I believe that only recently, we had a mayor of Paris who declared that he was not a presidential candidate," replied the elected official (LR) before justifying his turnaround.
“We approved (this project) twelve years ago in a very different environmental context when no modernization of the park was planned.
The context has changed.
And the accusatory report of the Regional Chamber of Accounts made us think ”, defended Philippe Goujon who made adopt by the district council of XV a wish asking the City to abandon this project.
And to conclude: “Give up this cursed tower.
Stop martyring him in the 15th century ”.
