La Samaritaine Bernard Arnault began his resurrection – Challenges.fr

The Council of State has finally settled: the renovation project of the Samaritan woman, LVMH property is validated, the building permit for the renovation of the building located rue de Rivoli having been deemed legal. Work stopped in early December by the decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal of Paris will be able to resume “in the coming days” , said a spokesman for LVMH. This is a real victory for Bernard Arnault who made this issue a priority. He personally followed the developments. At the inauguration of the Vuitton Foundation in October, LVMH boss stated: “I’m almost disappointed that this project is finished, but I have another one, the Samaritan, where we will build a the most beautiful hotel in the world and revive a department store. “

What place for contemporary architecture in Paris?

Part of the dispute concerned the construction of a façade, 73 meters long and 25 meters high, with a transparent glass cladding with vertical corrugations designed by the Japanese agency Sanaa. The public Rapporteur had indeed stressed that the PLU undoubtedly required that the building fits into its environment, but that he could not be pastiche and contemporary architecture so had its place in Paris . Purged of all remedies, this project should lead to the end of 2017. Since the beginning LVMH have the unconditional support of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë first then Anne Hidalgo today.

It should be said the town has managed to achieve in his time a number of safeguards. For if the project foresees the construction of a palace Cheval Blanc 72 rooms and suites and 26,400 square meters of commerce, probably including a beautiful Vuitton shop with Seine side entrance, the Samaritan made some concessions. The future together now provides a hundred social housing nearly 7,000 square meters, construction of which is fully funded by LVMH. And a nursery of 60 infants must also be created.

A group that relocates to France

For the town hall, this project is also a solution to recreate employment and revitalize this neighborhood in the heart of the capital: LVMH announces the global creation of 4,400 direct and indirect jobs. That’s a total of over 460 million euros of investment (excluding legal fees) that the luxury group puts on the table, which is double that of the Vuitton Foundation.

In recent months LVMH increases the investment in France. For further Vuitton Foundation and La Samaritaine, the group inaugurated a new factory in Guerlain Chartres, announced the relocation of part of the activity Dior Parfums in Grasse, the purchase of the Paris the transformation of the store Franck & amp; Son delicatessen, excluding patronage activities (Hermione, the Palace of Versailles). A reminder that the roots of this group of over 60 global brands are well in France.

Thiebault Dromard