Gilles Broquère, the Mayor of Fenouillet, Jean-Luc Moudenc, the Mayor of Toulouse and Chairman of the greater Toulouse authority, and Vincent Rebillard, the Chief Operating Officer of Mercialys, today laid the foundation stone for the extension of the La Galerie Espaces Fenouillet shopping centre.
After co-signing an employment agreement in March 2015, Mercialys, Fenouillet and the greater Toulouse region are cementing their partnership with this major project, which will promote urban regeneration and job creation in the north Toulouse area.
This ceremony kicks off the second phase in this important project, which will bring together more than 120 outlets in a 85,000m² space, making La Galerie Espaces Fenouillet the biggest shopping and entertainment centre in the north Toulouse area.
The existing retail park, comprising 10 medium-sized stores specializing in personal and household goods, which opened in May 2015, will be extended to include a 6,000m² leisure centre with an eightscreen Kinépolis multiplex cinema and a selection of restaurants and fast-food outlets.
An additional park featuring nine more medium-sized outlets will also open up, in partnership with Groupe Chausson, to complete the retail offering of La Galerie Espaces Fenouillet.
There will also be a 2,600-space car park, partially covered with photovoltaic canopies. Architecture firm L35 is behind the design of the new complex, which will showcase the pink brick that is typical of the region.
The regional shopping centre, which will be developed in partnership with local authorities, aims to meet the needs of a changing district with a rapidly growing population. The project is underpinned by a vision for the future of the north Toulouse area, where public and private players will work together to create jobs and regenerate urban areas.
The complex will boost the commercial appeal of northern greater Toulouse – a real benefit for local communities. The employment agreement signed in March through the greater Toulouse job centre aims to create 700 jobs and promote local employment and workforce entry opportunities on the
construction site and in stores, bringing the total number of employees at the complex to 1,055.
Lastly, a greater Toulouse urban partnership project (PUP), one of the first of its kind in France, will upgrade the RD 820 road to improve access to the centre.
The complex will be built around a central recreational space for restaurants and entertainment where exhibitions and concerts will be hosted throughout the year. The complex will have strong branding, displaying the vibrant red and white colours of the G La Galerie logo, to boost the visibility and image of the centre's broad shopping, entertainment and cultural offering for the entire family.
