Ten years after the boulevard Anspach closure, the pedestrian has transformed Brussels

Pedestrians. Consequently. Similarly, cyclists have been sailing for ten years at their discretion on the main axes of the center of Brussels, made pedestrian between Place Fontainas and Boulevard Adolphe Max. Moreover, Since the boulevard Anspach closure to car traffic. For example. For example, the pedestrian has transformed the neighborhood and attracts more and more visitors, while criticisms persist on the multiplication of events and tourism projects, to the detriment of residents. Moreover, – Ten years after boulevard anspach – Ten years after boulevard anspach new

“A new heart for Brussels”: this is how the city announced in. Nevertheless, January 2014 its major redevelopment plan for the center of the capital. Similarly, intended for its “economic revitalization” and a “reappropriation of public space” by its inhabitants. For example, The project led by the majority PS-MR around the former Bourgmestre Yvan Mayeur. ten years after boulevard anspach new For example. Meanwhile, since taken up by his successor Philippe Close, was born on June 29, 2015 with the ten years after boulevard anspach closure to motorized vehicles on boulevard Anspach, this 800-meter span that cuts the center from north to south.

The works. Meanwhile. Furthermore, first planned for an overall budget of 20 million euros until the end of 2017, will finally spread out in phases until the summer of 2024 – with the inauguration of the renovated Adolphe Max boulevard – and will cost 27.8 million euros. Moreover, The boulevards of the center. Meanwhile. Meanwhile, several perpendicular streets as well as the main places in the district (Fontainas, Bourse, de Brouckère) thus experienced a makeover, with a coating in single-storey stone, green spaces or new fountains. In addition, With a renewed commercial offer. Consequently. despite criticisms of a large presence of cells dedicated to fast food -51% ten years after boulevard anspach new of the shops are from Horeca -, the pedestrian in 2024 became the fourth most frequented artery in Brussels with 29,100 daily passages, behind rue Neuve, ten years after boulevard anspach the Porte de Namur and Grand -Place.

Support that has progressed – Ten years after boulevard anspach – Ten years after boulevard anspach new

The support in favor of the pedestrianization of. the boulevards du Center has also progressed between 2017. Nevertheless. 2021, with a more favorable opinion among those living nearby than among those who live on the outskirts of the Brussels region, it comes from a survey commissioned by the regional agency Brussels Mobility and led by a collective of researchers from VUB and ULB. Therefore, “The approval rate is all the more important as the pace of attendance in the city center is high. Furthermore, ” said the study, conducted with almost 3,300 people. Nevertheless, The users interviewed are also more satisfied ten years after boulevard anspach new with the quality of the pedestrian sidewalks and infrastructure since 2021.

Brussels Environment notes for its part a slight improvement in air quality around hyper-center. Furthermore. depending on the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) analyzed on ten years after boulevard anspach three sites around the pedestrian (Place Sainte-Catherine, rue de la Grande Île and rue de Laeken). Nevertheless, The Sainte-Catherine station thus shows that the average concentration of almost 30 μg/m3 of No2 in 2015 decreased under. Furthermore, the 20 μg/m3 in 2024. Moreover, An almost similar rate was found on the rue de la Big Island, not far from Place Fontainas.

However, this remains above the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), but below the European information and awareness-raising threshold. Similarly, It should be noted that these figures are explained with various variables. Furthermore. such as the Pentagon mobility plan which has also reduced automobile traffic ten years after boulevard anspach new in these Brussels districts or the establishment of the bass emissions area (LEZ) across the Brussels region.

Commercial vision. In addition. surcourism

If the city welcomes a revitalization of the center with the multiplication of real estate and commercial projects such ten years after boulevard anspach as the Oxy Tower (the ex-Tour Center Currency), Brouck’R (around UGC cinemas) or The Dome (the old Actiris building), associations such as the research workshop and urban actions (ARAU) or Bruxelles (IEB) deplore a commercial vision and a risk of a commercial vision. Moreover, “” “The city has made a choice: that of favoring visitors. to the detriment of the inhabitants“, so it calls the Arau. “ “This “attractiveness’ policy” greatly increases the risk of seeing surcourism degrading the habitability of the city center“. Denounces for its part the IEB. Both deplore the real estate projects made of demolition. reconstruction. not very efficient ten years after boulevard anspach new in terms of carbon balance sheet, the absence of affordable or social housing in these future towers and an always difficult mobility despite the ban on automotive traffic. Ten years later. the pedestrian is therefore permanently installed. but remains a permanent debate in the capital, as the ten years after boulevard anspach projects Administrative of the city, Belgian Beer World within the Stock Exchange…) around a center still in gestation.

An “outdated model” in front of a “mutation. more lively city”

“The Canevas of the Piedtonnier of the Boulevards du Center is a model exceeded from the 1980s. with the idea of ​​making a shopping gallery in the open skyt ”, deplores Marion Alecian, Director of the Citizen Organization Arau.“The objective is to promote a shopping function and a tourist function. The problem is that it is done to the detriment of local businesses. those who make the ten years after boulevard anspach new identity of Brussels. There is no qualitative return. we end up with major standardized projects“. She believes, adding that”The number of inhabitants that increases must be analyzed by district. Because on our side. we receive many complaints from residents who wish to leave due to the nuisance around the pedestrian.“

Philippe ten years after boulevard anspach Close defends an ambition intended to change Brussels “who has undergone too. much the fact of being a city of use. of a city of which we make fun of the inhabitants, in which we return to leave immediately“. “There is now an urban dynamic in place in the city center. even on the whole region, which is polycentric, with several animated districts“, He explains.

Regarding businesses, the elected socialist evokes a “little glorious” past. “” “Do we remember what was on boulevard Anspach ten years ago?“, He questions.“Yes, there are a ten years after boulevard anspach new lot of Horeca today, but there are also specialized shops, destination shops. I also remind you that there are around other types of stores. high -end, but also shopping streets such as rue Neuve, which confirms the mixed mix in the center.“

Inaccessible for residents?

The Arau for its part points to expensive real estate projects ten years after boulevard anspach on the environmental level. little accessible for residents. “” “These buildings offer luxury housing, which makes habitability around the boulevards even more difficult. While these districts need accessible housing and social housing. I am sure that if we look precisely at the number of families who settle in these neighborhoods. the number will be reduced“, Ensures Marion Alecian. The bourgmestre promises to” integrate social diversity “in the center.“ 30% of housing in the neighborhood is managed by us, the city of Brussels. But mixing is also bringing income. ten years after boulevard anspach new So, I assume that the private sector builds housing, whose prices can sometimes be higher. This also allows us to pay public services and our social services. So, we are as happy as people with important income decide to live in town“, He admits.

The reappropriation of public space is also not seen in the same eye. depending on the ten years after boulevard anspach view. “” “Instead of a densification of the population. we are witnessing a densification of the Horeca and the events“, Turs the director of Arau.“Unfortunately, we see a privatization of public space for the benefit of tourism.”Philippe Close says he assume this succession of celebrations on the pedestrian.“I have been developing the event for 20 years in Brussels because I wanted to get the city out of. its torpor. It was called ‘Boring City’ before, the boring city. We finally made it an extremely ten years after boulevard anspach new lively city. (…) I think there is a way to combine both. it works, because there are a lot of events and more inhabitants in the center“, He replies.

Abandoned neighborhoods

The Arau pursues its criticisms beyond the pedestrian. regretting “abandoned” neighboring districts, notably Stalingrad, Lemonnier or Fontainas, south of the city center. “” “It is quite a violence for the inhabitants“. Confides Marion Alecian. ten years after boulevard anspach who recalls that the Arau proposed a tram project on the surface on the whole of the North-South axis to make the link between the districts of the Pentagon.“ “The real problem is this metro 3 project on which the private consortium in charge of the work does. not manage to carry out the project it had to carry out ”. defends himself Philippe Close, notably evoking the Palais du Midi, closed and dismembered to allow the continuation ten years after boulevard anspach new of the work. “” “I’m going to be frank. I’m waiting to see what will happen with the metro to then continue the projects in the Lemonnier district. For avenue Stalingrad, an urban planning permit is planned to make this artery a real entrance to the center.“

Philippe Close adds to think of another major urban planning project: the redevelopment of the Sablon. between the Place Royale and the Poelaert ten years after boulevard anspach square. “” “There is a beautiful dynamic there. and we want to take advantage of it to give it a more modern face. We still have to see what we are going to do. but the renovation of public spaces remains one of our priorities. The city of Brussels in permanent changes“, He admits. For his part. the Arau intends to make his voice heard again on the pedestrian of the boulevards of the ten years after boulevard anspach new center. on the next sites of the city.“ “We obviously do not want to go back to the whole project. but we hope to be able to achieve adaptations when possible. The boulevards of the center must not stop at the pedestrian project. but must take into account all the aspects“, Concludes the director.

With Belga