Lille town hall wants to install part of the future courthouse in the IAE premises

The former general hospice of Lillea remarkable building located on Avenue du Peuple Belge, has been listed in the inventory of historic monuments since 1948. public business school is installed in half of the building: the Institute of Business Administration, better known as the IAE. The rest, unoccupied, will perhaps have a new life. The town hall of Lille would indeed like it to house part of the future courthouse. Here’s why.

An unoccupied wing

The IAE, installed since 1997 in the grandiose building of the former general hospice, will perhaps soon have a neighbor, and not just any neighbor. One wing of the huge building is unoccupied and in need of renovation. The Lille town hall has proposed that this part host the future courthouse! At least, part of it.

A courthouse under construction… but not of the dimensions

But why ? Because let us remember thata brand new courthouse is being built not far from there, on the edge of Old Lille and a stone’s throw from La Madeleine. It should be completed in a year or two. Except that this new courthouse has been controversial from the start: magistrates and town hall announce that it will be too small, before it is even open! Martine Aubry confirms, with her usual direct style: “We did not vote for this building, we knew that it was not suitable from the start, we said it again and again! »

In question, the unilateral decision of Apij, Public Agency for Real Estate of Justice, which validated the project despite the reluctance of local actors. As early as 2019, it was described as a “bunker” by lawyers and decried by Green elected officials, who would have liked the “wasteland” on which it is located to be exploited in another way.

Purchase of land for parking

The town hall therefore decided to look for another premises to relieve congestion in the first one – or at least to relocate part of its activity – even before it was operational. The mayor of Lille specifies: “In the same district, premises located a few hundred meters away are available, in the same complex as the IAE. We purchased neighboring land belonging to the CHR to provide parking. » A bus stop would also be set up.

Visits are planned with Apij to estimate the cost of the work and the feasibility of the project, which is already well advanced on the town hall side. Martine Aubry announced that it would take at least two years to see the light of day, with work having to be carried out in the IAE building.

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