Toulouse. Ex-UGC: the impressive destruction of buildings that threatened to collapse
Through Guillaume Laurent
Published on
The colossal construction site of demolition-reconstruction of the “Les Variétés” building, opposite the Jean-Jaurès metro station, where generations of Pitchouns have rushed into the dark rooms of the former UGC, is in full swing in the heart of Toulouse. This is where the brand new store of Fnac, in just over two years. But behind the majestic white columns of the old cinema, whose facade is listed as a Historic Monument, few imagine the impressive construction site linked to this project, on the rue d’Austerlitz side.
Four buildings in danger order (finally) razed
Because before attacking the huge building of the premises of the old cinema (of which we see the back of the building, in gray, in the center of the photo above, editor’s note), the project began with the most delicate part: the destruction of four buildings, three of which were dilapidated, and even threatened to collapse for years. At the beginning of January 2023, they have just been (finally) shaved.
Classes in danger since 2014, these buildings on rue d’Austerlitz so back to the UGC. Their acquisition by Caso Patrimoine, the Toulouse real estate company in charge of the site, and their integration into the rehabilitation project of the old cinemahad also removed a sacred thorn from the side of the authorities…
The Art Deco facade of the cinema, saved from diggers
“We start from the back, and we gradually destroy the whole”, summary Caroline Monne, who manages the Caso Patrimoine company with her sister Sophie. After the four buildings which have just been wiped off the map, the huge building which until now housed the cinemas will also be completely dismantled, “with the exception of the Art Deco facade, which will be preserved,” recalls Caroline Monné. The building is currently in the process of asbestos removal.
“We have the metro tunnel just below”
“It’s a very complicated project, and requires a lot of constraints”. Because in addition to the fragility of the said buildings in danger, the many trades mobilized on site must face another challenge: the passage… of the subway !
“The site is being done in conjunction with Tisséo, since we have the metro tunnel just below. In fact, when we deconstruct, we are very careful that it does not move anything…”
As evidenced by the director of Caso Patrimoine, the most perilous will be demolition and removal of rubblesince during the reconstruction, “the different loads will be lighter than what we had before”.
Deconstruction completed in the spring
From the François Mitterrand esplanade to the rue d’Austerlitz, this gigantic construction site began in September 2022, but the bulk of the demolition was only carried out at the beginning of January. This phase of destruction, the most impactful for local residents, “should end in April 2023″. The reconstruction of the whole should therefore begin “in the spring”.
Two years will be needed to build the new building, instead of the five buildings. In total, 30 months work is planned for the entire operation.
A sidewalk is accessible, and businesses remain open
“We are in a street context where there is little space”, underlines Jerome Sabarly, in charge of monitoring the works at the Ambiente design office, project manager of the site. “For the demolition of the superstructures, we set up a conveyor suspended with the crane, in order to limit the projections of rubble as much as possible and to avoid damage to the surrounding areas, as well as a misting system in order to prevent the better the flight of dust”.
If the axis is cut off to traffic, the sidewalk remains accessible residents and passers-by on one side of the street, throughout the duration of the work. Likewise, shops remain openeven if the hotel and the optician in the rue d’Austerlitz, which both face the newly razed buildings, are still suffering the blow.
“I was told that I was going to be under a tunnel”, testifies the optician
“We knew we were going to come to this, car this rehabilitation was really necessary, testifies Charlene Biau, who has been managing the Optique Austerlitz brand since 2010 with her partner Géraldine Krynen. “These buildings had been abandoned since 2014, and we knew that Caso Patrimoine had bought them to set them up on the rehabilitation site of the former UGC”.
“I was told that I was going to be under a tunnel, I’m not disappointed! We’ve been living under scaffolding for two weeks, and we don’t know how long we have it…”.
The shopkeeper has no choice but to take her troubles patiently: “It had to be done” to revitalize the street, she sighs, “even if we would have preferred to also have local shops in Face”. Waiting for better days, the optician watches the clock tick.
“They were warts in the neighborhood,” says the hotelier
At the controls of the Hôtel de France, just next door, Nathalie Bouilly is on the same line: “Something had to happen,” she corroborates. If the rehabilitation of abandoned buildings was eagerly awaited by the manager, the construction stage is difficult for its establishment. “The most damaging thing is losing passing customers. There are also customers who do not want to sleep on the Austerlitz side, and prefer to be installed on the Victor Hugo side. The construction site brings inconvenience (noise, dust and sediment), but it really had to be done”, tempers the hotelier.
“These buildings had been abandoned for nine years, they were warts in the neighborhood and an absolutely unwelcoming environment for our customers. The question was also recurring: many asked us: what was happening in the buildings opposite?”
And Nathalie Bouilly to breathe: “All you have to do is wait and limit the broken pots “.
The street released at the beginning of February
When asked, Jérôme Sabarly wants to be reassuring for the surrounding traders: “The street will be liberated at the beginning of February, once we have finished removing the rubble from the buildings that have already been demolished”. And the destruction of the old cinema will finally be more painless than that of adjacent buildings for merchants.
“To proceed with the demolition of the former UGC, we will take advantage of the space we have made with the destruction of the four other buildings”.
A FNAC, but also offices, restaurant and rooftop
Following a call for tenders, the emblematic building of the UGC was acquired by Caso Patrimoine in May 2019, for 23 million euros, not including the four adjacent buildings. Convinced of its “potential”, Caroline and Sophie Monné had awarded their favorite for this site, that they had long had to, like many Toulouse residents: “We were attached to the history of this place”, they whispered.
The future project will also a nod to historysince in addition to its name, “Les Variétés”, the Monné sisters asked the architect Pierre-Louis Taillandier to draw inspiration old plans of Théâtre des Variétés, which was the first life of this building built two centuries ago, between 1836 and 1837.
Alternately theatre, then cinema, the building will therefore host Fnac, which will leave the American building and cross the Roosevelt alleys. The cultural brand will have a larger area in this new building than the former UGC, approximately 4,000 meters2 in total, for some 3,000 m2 of sales area.
And if Fnac will be the flagship of the project, it will not be the only occupant. Of the offices will occupy one floor, i.e. approximately 1,000 m2. And the top floor, on the roofs, will be allowed to a restaurant with rooftop. With a commercial area of 350 m2 (without the kitchens), with a 500 m green terrace2it will offer a bird’s eye view of the ramblas.
Between the basement which will be dug, and the future rooftop, the new Variétés building will have a total of six levels, and will have the same volume as the five old buildings combined, i.e. around 5,600 m2. Its opening is scheduled for first half of 2025.
Was this article helpful to you? Know that you can follow Actu Toulouse in space My News . In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.