A stone’s throw from the prefecture and town hall, Rues du développement durable (RDD) has revived a whole part of Crêt-de-Roc, the historic district of Saint-Etienne. This structure shared the poster, with about thirty other associations and cooperatives, of the first Assises de la transition, meeting Thursday, September 23 in the amphitheater of the School of Architecture of Saint-Etienne (Loire). Together, they weigh more than 10 million euros in turnover and cover hundreds of jobs in fields as diverse as digital, food, agriculture, local currency, household appliances or renovation. urban.
In ten years, rue Roger-Salengro has been transformed from the simple, yet unprecedented, idea of Rues du développement durable: to rehabilitate vacant ground floors. “In the 2000s, many businesses had deserted the district and buildings were abandoned, in the state of wasteland., explains Thomas Benoit, RDD coordinator. Despite this, some Stéphanois wanted to settle in Crêt-de-Roc, which enjoys proximity to the city center, a rich history and a dense social life. “
Citizen land
Placed on one of the seven hills of the city, Crêt-de-Roc saw passementiers settle in number during the industrial revolution of the 19th century.e century, helping to make Saint-Etienne a capital of the ribbon and this district a breeding ground for working-class and militant culture. But it also bears the stigma of deindustrialization, with a high rate of poverty and many empty housing which contributes to the degradation of public space.
“In 2009, residents created a citizen property to buy ground floors in order to rent them to project leaders, details Thomas Benoit. With the conditions that these projects meet both the needs of the inhabitants of the district and ecological and social values. “ Thanks to the 23,000 euros disbursed by 63 people, the citizen property company Crêt de Liens was able to see the light of day, associated with Rues du développement durable, responsible for revitalizing and managing the redeemed ground floors.
“The first room was rented to a shared canteen, the Refectory, where everyone could bring dishes and cook, and where the inhabitants came to eat at noon, paying the amount they wanted”, says Thomas Benoit. In 2022, to face the success and ensure its development, another association, the Participatory Cantine, will animate this place.
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