More than €470 million since 2017 has been invested in this complex district of the city of Nîmes, with a major urban renewal plan, which involves, in particular, the destruction of several emblematic towers.
The major players in the major urban renewal plan for the Pissevin district in Nîmes, the Gard prefecture representing the State, the City of Nîmes, Nîmes Métropole and the Occitanie Public Land Establishment have agreed to set the date and the technique demolition of the towers of the Cité Matisse, former Crous student residence, now disused. The appointment is therefore made on Sunday April 6, 2025.
A marker of neighborhood renewal
Since 2017, the Pissevin district has been engaged in a vast transformation plan as part of the New National Urban Renewal Program (NPNRU). More than €470 million has been invested by all State, ANRU, City, Urban Area and social landlord partners to renovate the social housing stock, redevelop public spaces and strengthen public services and facilities.
Given the extent of degraded housing within the private stock present in the sector, an Operation to requalify degraded condominiums of national interest (ORCOD-IN) was also launched in March 2022 to work on the 12 condominiums in difficulties, which alone concentrate more than 4,500 inhabitants, of which the Tours du Crous were part.
How does the lightning technique work?
After analysis of several techniques and in order to limit the impact on populations, the Crous towers will therefore fall by lightning. According to the Gard prefecture, “the caving technique allows a controlled collapse of the towers on themselves in a few seconds. Unlike traditional deconstruction methods (nibbling and clipping) which take place over several months, this operation will concentrate the destructive work on a single day, reducing thus the impact of noise, dust and traffic disruptions. Considering the scale of the operation, a security perimeter will be installed on the day of the demolition, over a distance of approximately 200 meters around the towers.
Note that the studies relating to this perimeter led to the inclusion of entrances 16 bis at 29 rue Matisse of the Soleil Levant co-ownership, the traders of the Trait d’Union gallery, 5 pavilions and the Pissevin educational farm located to the north of Avenue Kennedy, as well as the Lakanal primary school, the Henri Wallon elementary school and the offices of the DDTM du Gard. Residents and businesses in this area will also be temporarily evacuated during the lightning strike.
