PM Network - January 2017

That’s what Parisians hoped a project team would accomplish by executing a seven-year, € 1 billion project to redevelop and modernize what was once the site of a beloved open-air market in the French capital. Les Halles became an eyesore in the 1970s after a much-maligned demolition of its signature pavilions to make way for an underground shopping mall and transit center. That project fueled decades of resentment—and skepticism that a makeover could heal the architectural scar.

Today the site has been reborn: Capped by a sprawling translucent glass canopy, Les Halles also has a new facade, upgraded rapid-transit station, improved mall access and a new public garden. But the transformation required intense stakeholder management, says Emmanuel de Lanversin, the lead project manager, SemPariSeine, Paris, France.

Eight years of public town hall-style meetings,
“We had to put forth trust and transparency all the time,” Mr. de
Lanversin says. “Every time you move, you’re under scrutiny. Every
time there was a problem, the media would come.”
To build public confidence from start to finish, the project team cre-
ated an exhibition and observation deck next to the project site open
seven days a week. The exhibit’s two
staffers showed models of the project
and answered visitor questions. The team also
provided updates via a project website, email
blasts and a biannual magazine, Demain les
Halles (Tomorrow les Halles). The team also
anticipated sponsor anxiety. For instance, aware
that the mayor would be extra picky about the
canopy’s color, the project team took no chances
and built a two-year window into the schedule
for color selection. The schedule included build-
ing scale models of the canopy and several rounds of reviews.

Although the project was completed one year behind schedule because of multiple surprises, Parisians are grateful for the renovation, Mr. de Lanversin says. “This project enforced the image of a city that’s on the move, but our design was respectful of aesthetics and tradition.”