The candidate from the Left Front continues his pleasant inauguration tour, and this time, the Costanzo Center was the stop of the day.
“The Costanzo Center, which for more than 80 years has marked the history of the neighborhood, was originally intended to be just another example of real estate speculation in Nice. At least, that was the intention of the seller, the Lenval Foundation, and Bouygues, who were planning a lucrative operation there. However, the residents’ attachment to this building and what it represents, and their desire to determine what should happen in the neighborhood, changed the course of events,” states Robert Injey.
For the candidate, it’s the tree that hides the forest: ‘The mobilization of the residents, along with the Riquier-Barla-Republique-Risso neighborhood committee and the county councilor Jacques Victor, thwarted the initial project, forcing the city into a negotiation to purchase the building. Since 2012, it has been a status quo. Like other buildings in the city (the former labor exchange, the St Roch hospital…), Christian Estrosi’s projects are opaque, and his willingness to meet the local residents’ needs for equipment is almost non-existent. This is also the case in this Riquier district, which is notoriously under-equipped with public, sports, cultural, and community infrastructure.’
And he concludes, not without conviction: “Today, with Jacques Victor, by symbolically inaugurating the ‘Costanzo Socio-Cultural Center,’ we are demonstrating the commitment and determination of the ‘Nice, People First’ list to ensure that the Costanzo Center regains a purpose that meets the needs of the neighborhood residents. The building exists, and the work to refurbish it, bring it up to standard, and adapt it to its new missions is feasible. All that is missing is the political will to do it. We have that will!”
And what about the other candidates, where do they stand in terms of their determination?
