Transforming an industrial wasteland into a prime residential neighbourhood

The objectives

• Transforming an industrial wasteland into a prime residential neighbourhood
• Preserving and enhancing the site’s landscape while at the same time opening it to the general public for the benefit of the greatest number
• Working in partnership with the owner, the City and the urban developer to ensure the project’s feasibility, the financial viability for each party and the project’s overall architectural excellence

About the project

• On Air France land (65,200 sq.m): 64,000 sq.m of floor area dedicated to housing, of which 7% is set aside for social housing and a retirement home, 1,200 sq.m of shops and services.
• On municipal land (24,000 sq.m): 14,150 sq.m of housing, of which 17% is set aside for social housing, 18 building plots for single-family homes, 800 sq.m of shops and services, a school, recreation centre, childcare centre and stadium.

Background & Location

As the Air France land is landlocked requiring the provision of access and the construction of new public facilities, the City of Massy decided to carry out this project within the context of a designated development zone. The development zone perimeter encompasses land owned by the City, ensuring access to the Air France plot. It also includes the portion of the Air France plot to be transferred to the Intercommunal Association for the Development of the Bièvre Valley for the creation of a future park open to the general public.

The developers will acquire the land from Air France, conduct environmental clean-up, remove asbestos and demolish existing buildings. They will then transfer a portion of the land to the urban developer for the construction of public roads and utilities for the plots. Lastly, they will provide the urban developer with funds to offset the cost of the public facilities.

A partnership-based approach:

• Joint development project involving the City and a consortium of developers, with the participation of the owner: urban project with Agence F. Leclercq, administrative procedures (revising Intercommunal Land-Use Plans, setting up a development zone), through the pooling of studies and tools, and the joint planning and estimated budget of the development zone project.
• A four-party Memorandum of Understanding setting out the responsibilities of the owner, the City, its urban developer and the consortium of developers. Signed in December 2016, this Memorandum of Understanding defined the project and the developers’ contribution to the construction of the public facilities.
• Land acquisition in three key phases: unilateral sale agreement until the building rights are granted and a plan to manage the pollution and asbestos is devised; bilateral sale agreement until the building permits are granted and the land in its entirety is acquired (in 1 or 2 phases).
• A coordinated choice of architects with a participatory approach to establishing the architectural, urban and environmental requirements, together with work on defining the projects.

Project Website www.massyvilgenis.fr