The Nice Côte d’Azur Urban Community and the General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes are undertaking development works on Saint-Roch Square, specifically Jean Giono Square, the church square, and the market square.
A new impetus for the neighborhood, a reclaimed attractiveness!
The goal is to provide residents with a fully renovated local living space with the establishment of:
- A functional space dedicated to market gardeners,
- Wider sidewalks and pedestrian areas to enhance the shops
- A village-style square with trees and a play area to improve everyone’s quality of life.
Additionally, the neighborhood will benefit from the creation of new facilities with:
- The transformation of the former Peugeot garage (6,880 m²) into sports halls for Jean Giono Middle School (delivery by the end of 2011), spaces for associations (summer 2011), and public and private parking (December 2010),
- The rehabilitation of the façades of Jean Giono Middle School planned for 2011.
A neighborhood
- A traditional and popular neighborhood, where many Nice families have lived for generations.
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This neighborhood has evolved over the past decade with the construction of the Saint-Jean d’Angely hub and the arrival of the tramway.
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It is undergoing significant urban and human transformation projects.
A square
- Saint-Roch Square, organized around its church, completed in 1790, a listed monument, with its bell tower with a polychrome tiled dome: a remarkable landmark in the city.
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A living area with a daily fruit and vegetable market, a well-established local commercial activity, several educational institutions (1 middle school and 3 nursery and primary schools), and 1 kindergarten.
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To recreate a true village square, more friendly and attractive: we have initiated a comprehensive reflection regularly involving local residents and neighborhood representatives, to study the best way to enhance it.
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The objective is to preserve the identity of this square and make it attractive so that neighborhood residents will embrace it and enjoy meeting there, creating a human-sized meeting place for exchanges, intergenerational encounters, culture, and heritage.
The Project
The Market Square
- Recreate a multifunctional “village square” type area (for hosting festivities, themed, and daily markets).
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Develop a functional space dedicated to stallholders, including parking for trucks on or near the square.
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Refurbish the sidewalks along building façades to enhance the shops.
The Church Square
- Create a genuine square in front of the Church, free from any installations,
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Enhance the existing commercial installations facing the square.
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Re-calculate the road zones (Daumas / Ricolfi intersection) to create more generous pedestrian areas.
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Rethink the surroundings of the Church for better integration of blind façades and the private courtyard with the rest of the square.
Jean Giono Square
- Expand the existing garden.
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Create a misting area.
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Open a crosswalk in front of the school façade.
The Children’s Playground
- Create a functional play area (for different age groups) landscaped, crossable, interacting with the rest of the development.
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Open a pedestrian crosswalk in front of the school façade.
Traffic and Parking
- Rethink the circulation plan at the neighborhood level.
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Widen and plant the peripheral sidewalks.
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Maintain parking on the outskirts of the square.
For the entire area
- Implant new trees of 6 different species. In total, the area will be adorned with 86 trees, instead of the current 38, in a Mediterranean spirit.
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Install quality urban furniture: benches, barriers…
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Widen the existing sidewalks on Ricolfi Street and Saint-Roch alley.
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Modernize public lighting networks, sanitation, water, EDF, GDF…
Accompanying and beautification actions for the neighborhood:
The Saint Roch district is undergoing a profound transformation. The development of the square will indeed be accompanied by several other actions:
- The creation of local facilities in the buildings of the former Peugeot dealership: community spaces, sports halls, parking, with some part open to the public from December 1, 2010, benefiting from a one-hour free parking system.
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The rehabilitation of the façades of Jean Giono Middle School (during 2011) led by the General Council.
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The completion of the works in the Saint Jean d’Angely district (end of 2010).
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The extension of tram line 1.
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In the social domain: selecting this neighborhood to conduct the 4S project (Sport Health Seniors St Roch) experiment, aiming to encourage seniors to move within their neighborhood and to plan the necessary arrangements and support.
Schedule
- Overall phasing of works over 12 months.
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Start of works in October 2010.
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Delivery of the square in February 2011
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Cost: 4M € – Nice Côte d’Azur.
