Following the change of political side of the Bourges Plus agglomeration, the new right-wing executive has put under cover, until further notice, the Maison de l’Agglomération project which was to allow the renovation of the former Maison de la culture. While the program for Bourges European Capital of Culture 2028 becomes a little clearer every day, the cessation of work gives rise to fears that the place, classified as a historic monument, will be a wart surrounded by a fence for the duration of the event – and after.
Bourges House of Culture
by Fabrice Simoes
It was in Bourges that one of the first houses of culture in France was inaugurated in 1963 by André Malraux. It is in this same building that the Printemps de Bourges took root, in 1977. The place has been classified as a historic monument since 1994. It is a reference in French cultural history and yet, when Bourges becomes capital of culture 2028, the building risks becoming task with cladding, corrugated sheet hoists and other galvanized palisades. Thanks to consultation of corridors, apothecaries’ accounts and more or less truncated information, the Maison de l’Agglo project which was to allow the renovation of the premises is now up for auction.
A consensus around this operation
Before the municipal campaigns began, the representatives of municipalities in the Berruyère conurbation had nevertheless found a consensus around this operation. In the end, the restoration of this heritage wasteland, abandoned and half destroyed since 2013, was to allow the installation of the headquarters of the agglomeration in the building by giving it a sufficient cultural dimension to honor the memory of the place and attract heritage funding from the Region, European funds and the State. In principle everyone agreed. It was also an opportunity to bring together the very real needs of the conurbation and the policy of revitalizing the city centers in which Bourges and Bourges Plus are engaged together.
Doubling of the initial estimate
Between the different votes, the deadlines for the various files and the final probable cost, the initial estimate of 16.8 million has however increased to thirty million excluding taxes. Enough to logically make one cringe. However, to avoid repeating the errors of past governance, the then president of Bourges Plus, Irène Félix, wanted to consolidate the overall cost before launching the work. The studies then revealed a building without foundations, damaged by a previous poorly planned construction site. At the community council last January, a program authorization of 30 million Euros was therefore voted on… by a majority. A courageous and reasoned choice: MBDA and KNDS, the Berry arms sites, should soon generate around one million euros in additional tax revenue per year for the city. In the same financing plan adopted by the community office, it is established that nearly seven million euros in external subsidies are already earmarked for the project: Centre-Val de Loire region, European FEDER funds, State via the DRAC and DSIL. The actual share borne by Bourges Plus was thus established at 23.8 million euros, spread over time.
Another element to take into account: the city today rents its premises for 300,000 euros per year. A charge which would, annually, have to be moved to the depreciation side of the scale.
While the subject is one of the divisive elements of the municipal campaign in Bourges, the re-election of Yann Galut as town hall of the central city (65% of the population of the agglomeration), validates the approach of its president, cost included.
The reorganization of the community council changes everything
Last April, against all expectations, when we were thinking about renewing Irène Félix’s lease, it was the mayor of Saint-Doulchard, Richard Boudet, who became president of Bourges Plus. At the beginning of May, its vice-president in charge of buildings, Franck Breteau, mayor of Trouy, provided information to community advisors at the end of a session: “ the cessation of the operation of the Maison de l’agglo©ration...” Pure budgetary prudence or political coup, no one knows yet. For now, by stopping a project whose start was imminent, the new majority also triggers contractual compensation for the benefit of the selected companies. If it is budgetary prudence, it produces certain compensation – around €700,000 according to some, between 1.5 and 3 million Euros according to others – lost subsidies, but still rents maintained, a preserved wasteland, and above all no alternative project. Meanwhile, France’s first Maison de la culture continues to deteriorate in the heart of a city which will host the European Capital of Culture in 2028.
After all the efforts made elsewhere, it’s scary when, in April 2028, thousands of visitors will pass in front of the Art Deco facade, and they will perhaps see a wasteland.
Also read: Bourges 2028: when the citizens of the Region irrigate their territory with works of art
