Lyon's Grand Hôtel-Dieu Transformed into Mega Shopping Mall

The Grand Hôtel-Dieu in Lyon, the city's oldest hospital dating back to the 12th century, has been converted into a massive commercial center with shops, restaurants, cafes, offices, and soon a luxury hotel and Cité de la Gastronomie. The 52,000-square-meter building, classified as a historic monument in 2011, was fully abandoned by 2010 after its medical wards closed in 2007. Renovation began in 2015 and took only three years, entirely funded by private investment totaling €250 million, led by Crédit Agricole, with no public cost. The project was awarded to construction group Eiffage in 2010, based on a design by architects Albert Constantin and Didier Repellin. The structure features a grand facade and a large dome by 18th-century neoclassical architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot. The first phase opened recently, with the 143-room Intercontinental hotel expected in spring 2019, featuring a lobby bar under Soufflot's 32-meter-high dome. The shopping area includes a 700-meter pedestrian path through historic gardens. The Cité de la Gastronomie will occupy over 4,000 square meters dedicated to food and health, complementing Lyon's status as a capital of nouvelle cuisine with over 2,000 restaurants. An inauguration festival runs until June 21. The project is expected to attract 10 million tourists annually and generate thousands of jobs.