en.Wedoany.com Reported - The urban renewal project of the Python-Duvernois social housing district in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, France, has entered a decisive phase. Launched in 2014 and managed by developer Semapa since 2019, the project aims to transform this neighborhood, built in the 1950s and later plagued by traffic noise from the Boulevard Périphérique and the A4 highway interchange.

Jean Ferrari, Deputy Director of Construction at RIVP, the district's sole social housing provider, stated that the renovation aims to break down isolation, improve ventilation within the neighborhood, and add parks and commercial spaces to make it more vibrant. RIVP has begun renovating the housing units and continues to carry out various works within the development project.

Within the 17-hectare Zone d'Aménagement Concerté (ZAC), the initial works have been completed. After a year of gradual demolition and stone removal, two-thirds of Building A, a 245-meter-long zigzag structure designed by Edouard Crevel, has been demolished. With the removal of this building, which acted like a wall blocking views within the neighborhood, the sightlines have opened up to reveal the future 3-hectare park.

The park, named Aretha-Franklin, has been two-thirds delivered (Phase 1 in July 2024, Phase 2 in May 2026), replacing the previous impermeable sports fields. A new, more compact 10,000-square-meter sports facility will take their place. Designed by a team of Parisian horticulturists and landscape architects, the park heralds the transformation of the Python-Duvernois district and will extend to the Porte de Bagnolet by 2028.

The preserved section of Building A will be renovated and raised, adding approximately 24 housing units to the existing 65, along with a 36-slot daycare center and activity or educational spaces. Vinci's subsidiary, GTM, has been awarded the contract (Lot 11), and work may begin in July.

Another Vinci subsidiary, Sicra Ile-de-France, is already carrying out work on Lots 4 and 6B for RIVP. Lot 4 will feature 36 social housing units, 49 genuinely affordable housing units (BRS), the district's only parking garage (two levels), a health center, and commercial and activity spaces, with delivery expected in the first quarter of 2029. The 61 BRS units in Lot 6B will be delivered in September 2028.

The three iconic large towers in the neighborhood (Buildings B, C, and D, also designed by Edouard Crevel) will be preserved and renovated. These towers will be converted into 234 social housing units and senior housing, and will be thickened by adding winter gardens on the south side. Architect Michel Guthmann has been appointed for the subsequent design. The last residents will vacate the towers after moving into RIVP's first project within the ZAC (Lots 8-9, expected for delivery next autumn).

These three towers will not only be renovated but will also be shielded from road noise by constructing other buildings as barriers and by maintaining distance from traffic. For Lots 2A and 2B, a mix of tertiary uses will be developed, including office space, education and training facilities, and a youth hostel. The call for tenders for businesses for these two lots will be launched in September. The adjacent Lots 1 and 3 (RIVP) will be used for student housing and activity spaces.

These new buildings along the ring road will replace the current housing most affected by noise, which will be demolished within months. To free up space for construction logistics, the lanes on Boulevard Cartellier leading to the highway ramp will be reduced from five to three, with the freed space eventually accommodating new public spaces and extending to a covered section of the Boulevard Périphérique (2,300 square meters).

The covering of the Boulevard Périphérique will begin in the second half of 2027. The project costs €9.5 million, part of the €150 million Semapa is spending on the ZAC. Anthony Galvan, the developer's project director, noted that the challenge lies in coordinating between different departments and the Porte gate construction sites. New buildings are expected to start construction only after the covering is completed in 2029.

The final piece directly adjacent to the Boulevard Périphérique, Lot 6A-7, is part of the innovative urban project "Inventons la Métropole du Grand Paris 3" and was won by Linkcity, a subsidiary of Bouygues. The company will build a hotel under the Tribe brand, owned by Extendam and Accor, featuring rooms reserved for patients or their caregivers who do not require hospitalization but need to stay near a medical facility. The names of investors for other buildings on this lot have not yet been announced.

The renovation of the Python-Duvernois district is expected to be completed around 2032. Currently certified at the design stage with the BBCA Neighborhood label, the ZAC's fate is also linked to the adjacent Porte de Bagnolet interchange project. The inter-municipal association Est Ensemble, which includes the city of Bagnolet, the Métropole du Grand Paris, and the state, has already begun work on this. Preliminary studies have started, and a development plan has been defined, but significant funding needs to be secured.

Subsequent projects also include reconnecting Python-Duvernois with Place de la Séverine to establish a green corridor linking the gates of the 20th arrondissement.