The new challenge is to attract new businesses

consider this feature. "Our development strategy is therefore to give a different atmosphere in each neighbourhood," explains the first aedile.

About 3,000 homes and 450,000 m2 of offices should be built on the former site of the round fields over the next ten years, under the direction of the society of Economics joint of development of the town of Massy (Semmassy). Named "atlantis", this urban restructuring operation builds local d'Urbanisme (PLU) voted in late 2004 as well as the creation of three new areas of concerted development (ZAC) that finance the project to the tune of 130 million euros out of 15 years. The community does not controlling the land, a real public-private partnership is in place. Owners who wish to will be able to sell their right-of-way to the developer. Area 19.5 ha, ZAC Paris-Carnot was entrusted to architect-planner Jean Chéron. It is designed to become one of the major centres of the municipality and the active heart of the Centre for European-scale Massy-Saclay-Orly. Philippe Panerai and Dominique Petermüller was responsible for Massy-ampere, an area of 44 ha hitherto reserved for advanced industrial activities. Promoting general must deliver it early 2008 an operation of 80 houses of three to five pieces (between 3,700 and 4,000 euros per square metre). Finally, the architect Pierre Gangnet is responsible for the ZAC Paris-Briis, spanning 17 ha on the edge is Massy-Atlantis. A public garden of 10.000 m2 will provide the interface between the residential sector North and sector offices to the South. Despite these works all over the place, the time is cautious: "the mayor insisted on the quality of the program Vilmorin.". He wished that residential supply is diverse, with reasonable lots of the order of 50 units. "Our demands are the same on Atlantis: we have to adopt a Charter of urban quality that defines the commitments of builders and planners", said Bruno Trancart, the Director General of the Semmassy. With 25 of the workforce employed on-site, local elected officials shall make forget the reputation of first. They prefer so cultural, sport and associative, life with leisure rhythmic since 1993 by the performances of the great opera-theatre, the last built in France.

Many companies

With nearly 1,500 companies, including 84 in the tertiary sector and 22,000 jobs, Massy is the first municipality in the North of the Essonne its economic weight. Pont Saint-Pierre investments, renamed "Piérus" early June, was one of the precursors to builders offices since 1998, while the market has begun to emerge that early 2000. "There was nobody at the time and the land sold 150 euros per square metre", remembers his President, Christian Garrel. "This is very cheap compared to Paris, but we have much more competition for three years, because the city has both of the motorway, the RER and TGV." Rapid access to the airports is another advantage over comparable areas, such as Vélizy, Antony or Rungis. Seduced by this asset, large signs are elected domicile: Schneider Electric, Thales, Carrefour, France Telecom, Alstom, Sagem and Ericsson. The Swedish giant has installed its headquarters in the amp building, a building of 10.000 m2 delivered in September last by Pont Saint-Pierre investments at a cost of EUR 26 million. Ericsson did not have difficulties to find the space necessary for its implementation: "Massy can particularly compete with the major operations of at least 10,000 m2 and average rents about 230 euros per square metre." "Market becomes unavoidable", said Cyril Faure, Associate Director at Atis Real South of Ile-de-France.

Among the major operations carried out in 2005, Sanofi-Aventis took 10.400 m2 place Victor-Basch at Massy-Atlantis, a rent of 198 euros per metre square duty-free. Promoted by Sagimm and Built, the Campus is also significant. He totalled 28,000 m2 in an ideal location, rue de Paris, two steps from the TGV train station. The Ricoh Group there has installed its training centre on 2.245 m2 end 2005 (215 euros per square metre), while Areva and SFR reserved respectively 8,500 and 6,000 square metres to Campus 2, the 2nd tranche under construction.

The new challenge is to attract new businesses. The Town Hall multiplies aging restructuring of tertiary Park projects. The city is acquiring plots of the Bonde website to achieve a ZAC. 34 Ha field will host 90.000 m2 of offices and business premises marketed in 2007. But, despite these efforts, offer risk to be handicapped by the lack of buildings. "It is the only true tertiary market resulted and qualitative Parisian South today, but few developers have had the courage to launching operations in white and real estate offices will suffer from a deficit of new buildings for two years", analysis Philippe Ravoire, consultant with Cushman & Wakefield. "Everything is virtual for now." "Users expect the buildings and vice versa: it is a vicious circle", adds Cyril Faure. Some investors have nevertheless decided to take a controlled risk. End of 2005, Colony Capital Alcatel purchased a parcel of 6 ha which includes 30,000 m2 of offices, with the goal of 100,000 m2 of offices and dwellings in five years.