After ten years of waiting, this Monday, February 19th was the big day. On Boulevard Napoléon III, in the Caucade district, the first stone of the new Super U was laid. Store managers, teams, local elected officials, and residents gathered to open this new chapter.
2,200 m² of retail space, a 200-space parking lot, and a modern sports platform. The project initiated in 2014 is finally taking shape this Monday, February 19th with the laying of the first stone. Located on Boulevard Napoléon III, this new Super U meets the needs of the Caucade district. The aim: to fulfill all the promises of the brand by offering “a different kind of commerce,” reminds Clément Bourassin, Co-President of Super U Nice Caucade.
In the public interest, the development of the brand, along with the construction of a suitable sports complex and a parking lot, was necessary. Thanks to the modernity of a 2,200 m² store, compared to the current 700 m² of U Express, the expectations of the local residents will be met. First and foremost, it is a local business. It will prevent the people of Nice from traveling too far for their shopping. Its primarily food-based offer will highlight local products, fresh items, and homemade products crafted in the workshops of Grasse.
Equipped with a practical and fast drive service, the store meets the demands of the residents. Finally, an independent bakery snack located at the front of the building offers a luncheon solution, currently lacking for the high school students in the area.
Moreover, the establishment of this retail space contributes to job creation. In total, 50 additional employees will join the current staff of 40. Additionally, the area suffers from a severe shortage of parking. The 200-space parking lot emerges as the ideal solution. It will be open during store hours.
A Renovated and Redesigned Sports Platform
Aware of the advanced aging condition of the Eucalyptus sports platform, the City of Nice ceded, in 2020, a 4,508 m² plot to allow the creation of a new retail area with a modern sports platform on its rooftop.
Outside of school and club use, the platform will remain freely accessible to the youngsters of the neighborhood. Open from 8 AM to 10 PM, it will feature a lighting system to enable evening activities. It will include: a basketball court; a handball court; a grandstand located between the handball and basketball courts, with a seating capacity of around one hundred; a three-lane athletics track; and a building dedicated to locker rooms, restrooms, and spaces reserved notably for the sports teachers of the Eucalyptus high school and the sports association “ASBTP,” which uses training slots on the sports platform.
Sporting conditions will be greatly optimized compared to the current equipment. Resin surfaces for the sports fields and synthetic resin (tartan) for the athletics track provide optimal comfort for users.
Ten Years of Waiting
“A very long wait,” exclaims Clément Bourassin, moved. Indeed, ten long years have passed. Numerous legal challenges disrupted the project. A competitor notably threw obstacles in the way. But this Monday was the big day. The project was born out of several observations in 2014. The sports platform was in poor condition, and there was a lack of commercial establishments in the neighborhood.
A new chapter is being written for the district. Residents who came in large numbers are pleased to discover the visuals of the expected final result. Their wishes have been implemented. The brand will even have an “Eco-Valley” environmental certification. Nearly 1,000 m² will be created to replace the five original trees on the sports grounds. Monique Bailet, Deputy Mayor for the Nice West Territory and Civil Status and Deputy for Proximity, highlights the importance of this redevelopment. The Eucalyptus sports platform was “obsolete; it was truly a set of concrete and no longer frequented much by athletes, schools, or clubs.” Finally, the building not being very tall, it will not present any visual pollution for the residents of neighboring buildings.
See you in 2025 (probably August or September) for the inauguration.
