The “Rue Bordelaise” project evolves and becomes “Canopia. The developer Apsys presented Tuesday the new version of its urban project which must “connect the station to the Garonne”, as summed up by the architect of the operation Edouard François. “An urban haute couture project” welcomes the founding president of Apsys, Maurice Bansay.
“We obtained the building permit at the beginning of the year, and we are in a process of land acquisition which is already very advanced, announced Maurice Bansay. We want to start the work as soon as possible with a prospect of opening by 2026,” he specifies, adding that “we aim to carry out this operation in a single phase”.
“We have obtained substantial modifications” welcomes Pierre Hurmic
Looked upon unfavorably by the new environmentalist municipality on its arrival, this project inherited from the previous mandate “has evolved within the framework of our discussions with the city of Bordeaux” assures Maurice Bansay. A positive development, “even if it is a bit upsetting at the time”. Thus, Canopia now wants to be “irreproachable in terms of environmental commitment”. This will result in particular in 7,300 m2 of surface planted in the ground, a “fully vegetated street-park” with “plant buildings that will punctuate the different architectures” describes Edouard François, and the arrival of an urban farm.
“In a city of stone, we chose a 100% stone project, and with buildings on the scale of the heights of Bordeaux, namely between eight and twelve meters”, adds the architect. Some 6,800 m2 of facades will also be kept, or 27% of the operation. “We tried to keep everything that it was possible to keep, with the idea of doing with what exists,” explains Edouard François. Apsys has also “agreed to reduce the surface of the car park, at the request of the town hall”: it will go from 1,000 places to 750 places, “with the possibility of reducing it further to 500 places in a second stage”.
The mayor of Bordeaux Pierre Hurmic is pleased for his part to have obtained more housing. A hundred apartments, over 6,000 m2, will be offered in the new project, 35% of which will be social housing. On the commercial part, which takes the lion’s share of the project with 45,000 m2 of surface area, the mayor assures that “these shops will have to integrate into the Bordeaux fabric to meet the needs of the inhabitants and avoid any competition with existing brands. “. “We have obtained substantial modifications”, welcomes the elected official today.
Shops, leisure center and hotels
In detail, “there will be four large commercial centers, which will be spread over sixteen medium-sized stores and around a hundred smaller units, announces Maurice Bansay: we will first have the showcases and talents of the territory through independent traders , then urban concepts with large brands which used to set up in very large formats on the outskirts, and which are in the process of returning to the city, I am thinking of DIY, furniture, garden centers or decoration. We will also have a center dedicated to proximity, with a food surface, food shops, and a social and solidarity economy component. Finally, a leisure area of 10,000 m2 and catering. »
The leisure center, which will be located at the end of the project at the level of the quays, will be intended for families. “We have just carried out a project of this type in Saint-Etienne called Seven Squares, with bowling, trampoline, climbing wall, children’s games, electric karting…” specifies Maurice Bansay.
Finally, Canopia will offer “a 9,000 m2 hotel program with two new generation concepts, including green roofs animated by these two hotels, and finally workspaces, spread over 6,000 m2 in three buildings”.
New park at the quays
This project will also “participate in the end of the requalification of the quays of Bordeaux, since with the Euratlantique establishment we will finish the development of the quays with the creation of a park. » Valérie Lasek, director of Euratlantique, announces the creation of the Descas park at the level of the quays. With a surface area of two hectares, it will allow the ZAC Bordeaux-Saint-Jean to increase from three hectares to eighteen hectares of green spaces in total. “The first shovels will be given in 2023, with the aim of delivering part of this park by 2025. »
With an overall investment of 500 million euros, increased to 450 million euros by Apsys and 50 million euros by future commercial tenants, “this is a huge investment on a national scale” assures Maurice Bansay.