Offices, social housing and shops: the former headquarters of the Paris Hospitals will be transformed

The former headquarters of the Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), in the center of the capital, will become a complex of offices, social housing and shops, a 450 million euro project led by private investors, presented a few days ago.

Today, it is a complex of two large, unoccupied Haussmannian buildings under construction, located near the Paris City Hall and on the banks of the Seine.

These 27.000 m² will house, by 2028, offices (16.000 m²), as well as 48 social housing units reserved for healthcare workers from the AP-HP (Paris Public Hospitals) and RATP (Parisian public transport operator) employees, a Women's Center with 50 beds for victims of violence, and a 50-unit residence for young professionals, along with shops (including a restaurant and a gym). There will also be a health center.

This is the "Coeur Paris" program, born from the call for projects by the City of Paris in 2021, to transform the site, owned by the AP-HP, which now has its headquarters at the Saint-Antoine hospital.

The contract was won in 2022 by developers BNP Paribas Real Estate, Apsys and RATP Habitat, who revealed the details on Tuesday at a press conference, as work has just begun.

The developer BNP Paribas Real Estate, which is contributing 40% of the €450 million project, will market the office space. Apsys (also with a 40% stake) will manage the retail space, and RATP Habitat, an investor with a 20% stake, is responsible for the housing.

The site will also host activities related to the social and solidarity economy, and a "mobility hub", which will offer bicycle rentals and parking.

The Paris Hospitals remain the owner of the buildings and the investors have signed an 80-year lease, until 2105.

Although the occupants of the offices and shops are not yet known, the authors of the project promise that it will be a "mission building", according to Maurice Bansay, president of Apsys, favoring "responsible" companies, assures Thierry Laroue-Pont, chairman of the board of BNP Paribas Real Estate.

Moreover, from 2023 to 2025, the site was the largest third place in Europe, explained Lamia El Aaraje, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of urban planning and architecture. It hosted associations and artists' collectives.