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March 10, 2025
Looking To France For Inspiration In Redeveloping District Central’s Territory
The French department of Seine-Saint-Denis, to the north-east of Paris, is undergoing a major transformation and shares many similarities with District Central. So much so, in fact, that the Société de développement commercial (SDC) District Central is going on an economic mission there. In particular, it wants to draw inspiration from the way in which the area has been developed and how the solution economy has been developed there.
The fourth-largest employment centre in Montreal, District Central is transforming itself into a mixed-use business district while honouring its manufacturing character and history. Its specific urban development plan encourages densification and diversification of activities.
"We need to preserve the existing industries that create wealth, while integrating others that are emerging, for example the technology industry," says Geneviève Dufour, Associate Executive Director of the SDC District Central. "We also have to think about the residential component, and make room for local businesses. This brings with it a number of challenges in terms of cohabitation of uses, space management and mobility."
Industrial buildings, waste incinerators and housing
There were many challenges to be met in redeveloping the former Seine-Saint-Denis industrial estate. This French département has made a shift towards mixed use, promoting economic development while enhancing its heritage. One of the flagship projects in this area on the banks of the Seine is the Docks de Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine eco-district, which has led to the redevelopment of a 100-hectare site. It was an audacious gamble, as the area contains no less than 39 hectares of urban service infrastructure, including the Compagnie Parisienne de Chauffage Urbain and Agence Métropolitaine des Déchets Ménagers plants, the City of Paris skip garage and an Électricité Réseau Distribution France transformer station.
The Energy Unit has been set up to support these service organisations as they evolve, so that they fit in better with the urban landscape and improve their energy and environmental performance.
A number of factories and industrial buildings have also been converted into mixed-use spaces that include offices, shops, housing and green spaces. The project has also ensured that there is a good amount of social housing. A zero-energy school, powered by solar panels, has been built. There are also childcare facilities, sports halls, a park and an underground line has been extended. Renewable energy is now used for 75% of the heating in this eco-district.
"The mixed-use approach is desirable for many reasons," says Geneviève Dufour. "However, in District Central, we are also betting on the distinctive character of the area and successfully combining the uses that have defined it as an employment centre, and now as an industrial business district. It will be interesting to understand why the Docks de Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine eco-district has chosen to exclude certain more industrial uses from its model."
Solutions economy
To develop Seine-Saint-Denis while promoting a mix of uses, one of the strategies adopted has been to focus on the solutions economy, i.e. the development of sustainable ways of producing and consuming. One example is the creation of La Ferme des Possibles in the town of Stains. This cooperative helps people who are socially excluded or disabled to find work by encouraging them to take part in a local, sustainable, solidarity-based food chain. The organisation is made up of various partners from civil society, business and government. The head office, where the offices and kitchens are located, was built using ecological and reused materials. The building consumes very little energy, thanks in large part to the harnessing of the sun's heat for heating and cold for the cold rooms.
In addition to its organic farming, La Ferme des Possibles offers a range of services, including delivery of fruit, healthy snacks and lunches to businesses, and a catering service for events. The cooperative, which is also an agri-tourism destination, employs 20 permanent staff, 30 people on work integration programmes and 10 people with disabilities.
The SDC District Central wants to see how it can draw inspiration from La Ferme des Possibles to support urban agriculture initiatives with its ecosystem of partners. It also wants to think more broadly about this new way of doing things and seizing opportunities.
"The solutions economy is a key strategic direction for District Central," says Geneviève Dufour. "We want to see how this approach could be used, for example, to explore models for incubating industrial projects, pooling resources and creating collaborative ecosystems to maximise the use of resources and promote the area's economic resilience."
This project is sponsored by the Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie du Québec and the Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères de la République française, as part of the Commission permanente de coopération franco-québécoise (CPCFQ).
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