The radical metamorphosis of a sensitive district of Marseille
In the middle of nowhere, on the site of a former gas factory, in the 15th arrondissement of Marseilles, Eiffage delivered the Smartseille 1 eco-district in March 2023 and is preparing a 2.0 version just opposite the 58,000 m² building, called Smartseille 2. Until now, there was a vast industrial wasteland that had become impoverished, leaving only a hard core of 3000 inhabitants, the village of Les Crottes, where the famous actor Yves Montand spent his youth. The objective is to “revitalize this neighborhood», in the words of Hervé Gatineau, director of Eiffage Immobilier Grands Projets, within the Operation of National Interest carried out by the Public Development Establishment Euroméditerranée II.
Difficult to project yourself when you walk along the open dump that leads to this sensitive district and when you think of the reputation of the northern districts of Marseille, plagued by drugs and violence. “Twenty years ago, Euroméditerranée I was dangerous. It has become a central district. With Euroméditerranée II, there is an added value of expectation, with the bet that the district will be drawn upwards“, projects Hervé Gatineau.
Smartseille 1 houses 385 social housing and accession, offices, a hotel, an intergenerational residential but also a nursery of 52 cradles and a kindergarten and primary school as well as a neighborhood concierge, a mini-city in short within the same residence . “The only school that existed was located on the other side of the railway network, with a metal footbridge to cross, which was therefore too dangerous. So we set up a school here“, explains Hervé Gatineau. It mixes half of the children of Smartseille and half of the children of the village of Les Crottes and the surroundings. “Eiffage has even set up its offices in the heart of Smartseille, which shows how much we believe in the social mix projectsays Louis de Reynal, Eiffage Immobilier Sud-Est program manager.
A video surveillance system
It was also essential to make up for the lack of shops by setting up a bakery and a sandwich shop. Within the concierge, there is also a relay point for parcels, a hairdresser and a beauty salon. A real neighborhood life accessible from 3000 euros per square meter. On the tenant side, a T4 is rented for 2400 euros per month, parking included. A reduced price to attract inhabitants in this no man’s land. A successful bet since all the properties are occupied to date. And security level? A video surveillance system with loudspeaker has been installed to scare away potential offenders.
Diane, 81, does not seem disturbed by the location of the intergenerational residence where she moved into in April 2020, no longer being able to stay in her old accommodation due to the stairs. “I host a knitting workshop every Tuesday. No one from the residence participates but people from outside come. Otherwise, I come to pick up weeds in the shared garden“, she confides. Above all, she appreciates having been able to cut her electricity bill in half thanks to the connection between the offices and the apartments. The heat from the office building that is not used on evenings and weekends is recovered and returned to the housing units, for example.
Delivery early 2026
What about Smartseille 2? Like Smartseille 1, it will be a mixed program extending over 45,000 m² this time with 321 housing units, offices and shops. “The concierge service was vital for the Smartseille 1 site. It was therefore essential to put it back in place, but we are going to take the concept further. It will become a third place with a coworking space as wellcommented Laura Gros-Daillon, Eiffage Immobilier Sud-Est program manager. A coworking space of 290 m² which will be open to the inhabitants of Smartseille 2 but also to the inhabitants of Les Crottes. A shared garden on the terrace will also be installed as on the roof of the intergenerational residence of Smartseille 1 but it will be larger this time, i.e. 5000 m² of open ground. The roof will be split into different terraces and buyers will be able to buy their mini-rooftop. The same video surveillance system as at Smartseille 1 will be set up in the parking lot of Smartseille 2.
More than 50% of the roofs will be green. The first shovels will be given at the end of the year and delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, for a total cost estimated at around 140 million euros by Eiffage. The tramway will soon serve this district, which should make it possible to open it up and connect it to the rest of the city, as Eiffage hopes. “A radical transformationof the district is in progress in accordance with the wish of Hervé Gatineau. To see if the project will put an end to the prevailing insecurity in the district.
