Crumbling concrete. That’s the first impression of Parc Corot in Marseille. This isn’t a park in the traditional sense. It’s a housing project built between 1959 and 1964. Parc Corot is a symbol of urban decay in Marseille’s 13th arrondissement. It’s a story etched in concrete and shadows.
The initial construction faced technical and financial hurdles. The complex consists of eight buildings housing 484 apartments. By the 1980s neglect took its toll. Poor management by the building’s syndicate led to worsening conditions. In 1980 building B was declared unfit for habitation. It was eventually demolished in 1991.
Between 1988 and 2018 three reports documented Parc Corot’s decline. In 2008 a social action plan was funded by the General Council. Marseille Urban Renewal led the effort. However Parc Corot was ultimately excluded from the plan.
By 2017 things had reached a crisis point. Many owners hadn’t paid their fees for years. Elevators were broken water and electricity supplies were dilapidated. Illegal connections fueled squatted apartments. Rats infested the buildings. On June 15 2016 a 23-year-old man was killed there by a burst of Kalashnikov fire.
The head of the building’s syndicate declared war on the city and the state. He challenged the municipality’s decision to appoint a judicial administrator in January 2017. He even appealed to the Council of State. The appeal was rejected.
A 2018 report by LREM deputy Alexandra Louis painted a bleak picture. She noted that the only reason the complex still stood was thanks to the daily efforts of local support groups. A prefectural order was issued in June 2018 to remove tons of waste. Thirty to 40% of the apartments in buildings A and C were squatted. The association “Corot Debout Déterminés” tried to evict squatters and signed leases with former squatters.
In August 2018 the Aix-Marseille metropolis sued to obtain a declaration of neglect. They planned to take over buildings A and C for expropriation and demolition. Eighteen million euros were allocated to the project. Parc Corot was included in the government’s “Initiative Copropriétés” program along with four other deteriorated Marseilles complexes.
Following the collapse of buildings on Rue d’Aubagne in November 2018 the evacuation of two hundred people from about a hundred Parc Corot apartments was announced. The evacuation took place on November 30 for the 30 tenant-owners. The squatters were evicted on December 17. The municipality described a “concerted evacuation procedure”. They claimed to be facilitating voluntary relocation and offering housing solutions. However deputy Louis described the evacuation as chaotic and uncaring. One resident said they were treated like cattle.
The process of declaring the complex in a state of neglect began in 2018. It was finalized in November 2021. The Caisse des Dépôts bought apartments to enable demolition of the two towers as part of the government’s Initiative Copropriétés plan.
Parc Corot’s story is one of urban failure. Yet it’s also a story of resilience. The ongoing efforts to revitalize the area shows hope amidst the decay.