Par
Hervine Mahaud
Published on
” Impressive “. This is the word that was on everyone’s lips from those who came to attend this historic event. At 11:30 am precisely, this Sunday, July 20, 2025, the Tour Kennedy was energized at Loosnext to Lille. This emblematic building of the Lille metropolispresented as The highest housing tower in the north of the Paris region, collapsed in a few seconds only. It is thus more decades, and the stories of thousands of Loossois, which have been reduced to dust. The editorial staff of Lille Actu was on site to immortalize the event.
“It’s like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it’s our landmark”
Former residents of the Tower, residents, metropolitan, officials, police, journalists and curious. There were a lot of people this Sunday morning to attend this unique event. Unique due to the size of the tower: 95 meters high and 28 floors, the highest building never struck in France.
Unique also because this building is much more than a housing tower. “For us, The Kennedy tower is like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is our landmark Because we see her from far away, ”says a resident of the neighborhood.
But the 1968 tower had become too heavy to manage, and a new rehabilitation was unthinkable. “The tower had become a symbol, a totem, an icon,” sums up Anne Voituir, mayor of Loos. Now it should not be just an object that we look at, but a house where people had to live in 220 apartmentsbut it was no longer suitable. »»
After energning, and the evacuation of Almost 19,000 tonnes of rubbleit is a whole renewal that awaits the oliveaux district, and Loos.
A new face for oliveaux
The disappearance of the Kennedy Tower opens a new page for the Oliveaux district. This transformation project, initiated since 2015aims to bring out A more open, greener, more united districtdesigned for families and adapted to contemporary issues.
Loos-les Oliveaux (district of national interest) is part of the New program of Urban renewal (NPRU) carried by the European Metropolis of Lille. The NPRU concerns 14 sites for 80,000 metropolitan and provides for an unprecedented effort to transform global, urban and social transformation (2.2 billion euros in investments on a metropolitan scale).
The new district will revolve around a redesigned centrality, with local shops, health services, employment and public facilities. A city of children and parents will bring together crèche, darkery, PMI and early childhood relay, to accompany families on a daily basis.
THE public spaces will be fully reclassifiedwith the creation of a structuring landscaped email, designed in consultation with the inhabitants. This email will integrate pedestrian and cycle paths, play areas, relaxation areas and an urban orchard. The existing wooded heritage will be valued to strengthen the presence of nature in the city.
Habitat side, 380 new homes will be builtespecially on the old Salengro site, in an ambitious environmental approach (Passivhaus type), and 188 existing homes will be rehabilitated. The objective is to offer a diversified, accessible and quality residential offer.
Finally, the northwest intercommunal link (Lino) will allow the neighborhood to be exposed and reconnect it effectively in downtown Loos and neighboring municipalities.
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