The Council of State has rejected the appeal in cassation by the Rey-Serruriers residents’ association. After the Administrative Court of Nice and the Administrative Court of Appeal of Marseille, this was the last possible procedure to hope to block the building permit for a 5-star hotel, issued on November 8, 2016.
The municipal deliberation regarding this case led to a heated controversy as it was related to the vacating of part of the premises, which obstructed the project’s realization, occupied by a Masonic association that was enjoying a long-term lease for free. To have the association relinquish it, the City had to relocate it to a villa it owns at no cost, with the adaptation work at the city’s expense.
The project was proposed to the city by the Perseus group, specialized in luxury hospitality. The planned investment amounts to approximately 36 million euros, entirely funded by private capital. The construction work is expected to begin in spring 2021 for the hotel to open in spring or summer 2023.
The city will remain the owner of the plot, with a construction lease granted to the company for 90 years. The constructions built by the PERSEUS company will revert to the City of Nice at the end of the lease. By then, the investor will have fully amortized the investment.
