It is the culmination of almost 20 years of studies, discussions and reversals. The development project for the ZAC Bercy-Charenton, 12th arrondissement of Paris, was presented in outline during a press conference hosted by the first deputy mayor of Paris Emmanuel Grégoire. As a reminder, the 80-hectare ZAC is located between rue de Charenton to the north, the ring road to the east and the Seine to the south. It includes within its perimeter the Bercy motorway interchange and its multiple branches as well as numerous railway lines. In total, there are only 8 to 9 hectares that can be used quickly, which, as far as Paris is concerned, is already not bad.
The project aims to respond to “the isolation of two districts: Bercy and the cul-de-sac of Charenton”, announced Emmanuel Grégoire and to “recreate a green fabric that reconnects the district of Bercy, the city of Charenton -le-Pont, or even later, the Bois de Vincennes”. To achieve this, rue Baron-Leroy will be extended in 2023 thanks to a temporary ramp but reserved for soft mobility, indicates the first deputy, “it must not be an entry point for cars. »
The number of constructions revised downwards
Above all, the municipality has reduced the scope of its construction and housing project, in particular under pressure from the Greens. Exit the three towers nearly 120 meters high, the next will not exceed 50 meters, thus going from 515,000 m² to 230,000 m² of buildings. There will still be 57% social housing and 3,600 new residents are expected. Nicolas Bonnet-Oulaldj, leader of the elected Communists at the Paris Council, said he was nevertheless very careful not to further reduce the number of housing units, in particular social housing. “It is a concession that we have made to reduce the number of dwellings to increase green spaces,” he insisted.
Moreover, on the green side, the municipality is planning a large garden in the ground at the level of the Green Triangle, on the edge of Boulevard Poniatowski. “The original project was to build on this site, and we reversed the logic,” commented Emmanuel Grégoire. For Emmanuelle Pierre-Marie, mayor of the 12th arrondissement, this project marks “the renewed place of nature in the city”. Also planned are 6,000 m² of shops and 13,000 m² of public facilities including two schools, a college and a swimming pool, so dear to the mayor of the district.
The dubious opposition
Finally, the Rapée station will be kept with, at its lower level, priority given to the social and solidarity economy and to local products. The town planner François Leclercq, who thought up the project, also specified that the idea was to “limit infrastructure work by reusing what already exists”. On the other hand, the Bercy shopping center, which will be the subject of a consultation, “is destined to disappear”, indicated Hervé Gicquel, the mayor of Charenton-le-Pont who nevertheless specifies that the shops will integrate new premises in foot of the buildings built in place of the shopping centre.
For Valérie Montandon, elected LR of the 12th arrondissement, “the project presented is a little better than the old one”. But she believes that the maximum height of constructions is still too high and is frightened by the density of the building. “This will create heat islands and goes completely against the Bioclimatic PLU that we are examining at the moment, ”she laments. She also regrets that the municipality did not follow up on the idea of partial coverage of the railways, just to recover land. “The project remains marked by a lack of vision, denounces the elected LR. It testifies to the fragility of the majority with the Greens who want green spaces and the Communists who want housing. But at some point, you have to decide. “Not necessarily for Emmanuel Grégoire who ensures that we can” respond to the climate crisis and that of housing, without opposing them. »
But this response from the Paris City Hall, which should cost around 150 million euros, is not expected immediately since the delivery of the buildings is scheduled between 2028 and 2030. Moreover, the project will be subject to a deliberation submitted to the Paris Council in July. And at the same time, the third place Bercy Many, located on the Green Triangle and managed by Yes We Camp, at the origin of the Grands Voisins, will open its doors to launch the urban reconquest of the district.