Major Development Approval Granted for High-Rise Mixed-Use Project Near Tunis CBD

The Tunis municipal council has this week signed off on a 34-storey mixed-use tower for the Rue de Belgique corridor on the fringe of the central business district, capping months of speculation over the fate of one of downtown’s last open plots. The project—dubbed Lafayette Vues—will bring 280 apartments, over 20,000 square metres of office space, and a two-level retail podium to the city’s core, making it the largest private development approved in Tunis since 2021.

High Stakes for an Expanding CBD

Officials at City Hall confirmed construction could break ground as soon as October, escalating the race to modernize the heart of the capital amid surging demand for upmarket accommodation and workspace. The timing is critical: with the Tunisian real estate market rebounding post-pandemic and infrastructure stretched by recent inward migration, city leaders are seeking high-density projects in prime areas around Bab Bhar and Lafayette.

Locals will know the site, currently occupied by a derelict textiles warehouse between Avenue de Paris and the SNCFT train terminal, as one of the long-standing urban voids in an otherwise bustling precinct. The developer, Groupe Ben Ammar, is promising a private rooftop park with views of the Lake of Tunis, a ground-level food hall, and public artworks managed via partnership with Le Centre des Arts Vivants de Radès. The project’s approval follows on the heels of the city’s 2025 urban revitalisation plan, which highlighted spaces within one kilometre of Gare de Tunis as high-priority for new investment.

Eye-Watering Numbers and Local Impacts

Real estate analysts expect Lafayette Vues’ impact to cascade well beyond Avenue de la Liberté. Data from Agence Foncière d’Habitation show average sale prices for new luxury apartments near the CBD rose 14% over 2025, with some recent projects along Rue d’Istanbul topping 7,500 dinars per square metre. With construction costs for private towers hovering at roughly 3,500 dinars per square metre, the financial stakes are considerable—Ben Ammar’s investment in the new project is estimated at over 200 million dinars, according to documents reviewed by The Daily Tunis.

City authorities project Lafayette Vues will generate roughly 300 temporary construction jobs, with 70 permanent positions in retail and building services upon completion. However, traffic congestion and pressure on neighbourhood parking remain live concerns, with opposition from the Association Tunisienne de Sauvegarde de la Médina, who have warned about the changing character of the area.

Next Steps: What Residents and Investors Should Expect

With demolition permits now finalised and utility upgrades earmarked for late summer, residents nearby can expect significant disruption along Rue de Belgique from September onwards. City planners say a public consultation forum, slated for August 12 at Maison de la Culture Ibn Khaldoun, will field final questions on construction logistics and environmental standards. Marketing for apartments and offices is likely to launch before year’s end, with delivery of the first residential units scheduled for late 2028.

Developers are urging buyers to register early interest through Groupe Ben Ammar’s office on Avenue Kheireddine Pacha, while local advocacy groups are encouraging tenants and neighbouring businesses to attend the August hearings. As the cranes move in, all eyes in Tunis’s evolving centre will be on what may prove to be the city’s defining development of the decade.