On the occasion of the MIPIM in Cannes, Christian Estrosi, accompanied by the president of the general council of Alpes Maritimes, Eric Ciotti, presented to a group of international investors and journalists the major sustainable growth projects of the Metropolis Nice Côte d’Azur.
It was a true promotional operation for the Metropolis Nice Côte d’Azur that Christian Estrosi carried out this Thursday at the International Market of Real Estate Professionals (MIPIM). Accompanied by Eric Ciotti, Josep Lluis Mateo, chief urban planner of the Grand Arénas, and Christian Devillers, winner of the urban design competition Nice Méridia, the mayor of Nice discussed one by one the points of attractiveness of the Eco-Valley Integrated Operation of National Interest. What he defines as “the city of tomorrow,” which is both “respectful of the environment, economically efficient, and innovative in the use of the best technologies.”
The Grand Arénas
With its 51 hectares and 680,000 m² of buildable land, the Grand Arénas is set to become the future international business district of the Metropolis. This project, whose work will commence in 2013, is built around two main components:
– The multimodal exchange hub. Eventually, it should include 100,000 m² of housing (with 20% social rental, 30% affordable ownership, and 50% free ownership), 320,000 m² of offices, 65,000 m² dedicated to commerce, 15,000 m² for transport facilities, and 95,000 m² for the tertiary sector. The site’s attractiveness, partly due to its proximity to the airport, will be enhanced by the connection to the high-speed rail link Nice-Genoa in 2018 and that of the high-speed rail (HSR) connection by 2023.
– The Exhibition Park. Planned on the current site of the national interest market, the building with a modular surface of 75,000 m² will be able to host up to 35,000 people. It is expected to facilitate the organization of international scale events, complemented by a hotel park, generating nearly 750 million euros and 8,500 jobs.
The Nice Méridia Technopole
Nice Méridia is destined to become the future urban technopole of the metropolitan area. “It is a matter of creating an urban technopole, mixing the advantages of technopolistic sites with the advantages of the city,” explains the mayor of Nice. Its 26 hectares and 320,000 m² of buildable space will be dedicated to private or public research and development, and to training, particularly related to sustainable development. Defined by Christian Estrosi as one of the “driving forces of the azurian metropolis,” the site will host 160,000 m², 38,000 m² of training facilities, 100,000 m² of offices, R&D activities, and 22,000 m² of commerce. Added to this are the 100,000 m² of tertiary space already provided by the Nice Premium building. In the future, the project aims to expand over 200 hectares.
