Launch of the rehabilitation of the Espaces d'Abraxas cinemas in Seine-Saint-Denis

Inaugurated in 1983, this post-modernist complex designed by the Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill has experienced over forty years the spiral of impoverishment and the disappearance of social diversity characteristic of deprived areas, as well as a clear deterioration of its buildings.

After several years of consultation, the landlord CDC Habitat launched the renovation project on Wednesday of the Palacio, the main building of the Abraxas, an 18-story bunker with 440 apartments - three-quarters of which are social housing.

"We will be able to benefit from healthy, pleasant housing in a building with remarkable architecture. There have been plans to demolish this space, even though it is now visited by the whole world; it was a shame," declared Pascal Laguilly, deputy mayor of the LR party, Brigitte Marsigny.

Judging that the Abraxas had reached a point of no return in terms of ghettoization and insecurity, the former socialist majority of Noisy-le-Grand wanted to raze this decaying complex sometimes nicknamed "Alcatraz".

But in the 2015 municipal elections, the local right won the town by a few dozen votes, notably by mobilizing the residents of the Palacio on the promise of a thorough rehabilitation of the Abraxas.

Costing a total of €16 million, the project will refresh all the facades, upgrade the plumbing and ventilation systems, and replace the frequently broken elevators. Thermal insulation will also be improved, while the architectural appearance will remain unchanged.

"This project also represents a strong commitment to the recovery of struggling co-ownerships, social diversity and the enhancement of heritage," said Aude Debreil, Chair of the Executive Board of Grand Paris Habitat.

The work is expected to be completed in 2027.