Parc Tourtonde
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Area ✧ sale by town (pop. 5,000); an apartment complex was planned to replace it but fell through with no other projects after a public call for projects, was originally listed at 60k so their ambitions seem to have increased given it's new price with the fancy agent
✦ returned to market with a fancy agent at 140k (very unlikely)
✦ not an ideal situation as nature is pleasant but not notable, and the town is only adequate, yet potentially balances as a larger town is very attractive plus there's others and opportunities to get a bit further afield for exploring
✦ old brick adorned building with great facade and 4500m2 garden with old trees
✦ however fronts the end of the main street (setback 35m to south across garden) and backs onto a fairly busy tree-lined bypass road (30m north), which would be easily be better blocked with a bamboo forest and wall that should muffle it until electric vehicles become more common; there's also an adjacent small petrol station but that is blocked by trees
✦ ground floor/basement could be opened up as public coworking, with no need to create parking, so would function as a public hub but use may be limited as in the good town there's coworking, and the local library also has a small workspace, nonetheless variety and a different (international) focus would be valuable
✦ the garden is great and verdant all year thanks to a good selection of large and small trees; given it's size, it could accommodate an outoor pavilion for events, firepit and a plunge pool for a sauna; plus pitches for vanlifers
✦ several more fairly tame walks, including circuits over 3h to the river; good for biking but better with half by train; can climb 400m from door; kayaking/riding 35mins
✦ huge public greenspace with lake covering a restored open pit mine easily gives a 1h30 walk climbing 200m; tennis courts close; several recent town centre improvements, plus just started a new public garden on part of an old industrial site being converted to a (reasonably pleasant) shopping centre, where there's also a massive (4,000m2) building hosting events
✦ small streetart festival which could potentially be expanded with some support (i.e. hosting artists)
✦ a package free local food shop, several restaurants and an organic microbrewery but not much else otherwise, have to go to the towns, of which theres 3 in 30–40mins including by bus
✦ the very nice local town is practically is a 45min journey by transit thus most likely by car in 30mins but having the options is good
✦ station 10mins bike/scoot which is required as local bus is not coordinated leaving a 40min walk; however regional busses to other towns (a little further) are from door
✦ busses to Villefranche (1h; last 7pm, 9pm Sundays) and Rodez (40mins; last 6:30pm) both 40mins drive
✦ Paris nightrain arrives 5:30am, return 11:30pm, from €40;
✦ the climate is subject to a lot of rain, only diminishing somewhat during the summer, on the plus side this means the regions is always green, but does mean the sunny days need to be taken advantage of; seasonality would likely be 3-3-6; streetview (Jan) demonstrates that the garden is pleasant all year with good sunny days though when the sun isn't out is pretty drab (Mar) thus the indoor and covered outdoor spaces will play a very important role
✦ main building is south facing with 3 floors of around 130m2 plus a small attic with dormer; 20.5 6.3m deep; no rear windows, but good for mezzanines with skylights
✦ front has 6 windows with two close centrally, and the attic having a dormer above; thus mezzanines at the front would have a window not skylight
✦ 65m2 rear extension on 2 floors +attic (no gables); 13.5m x 4.8m
✦ 30m2 side extension, with garage, solarium and roof terrace
✦ 20m2 corner tower
✦ the extension roof appears to have missplaced tiles and may be okay (was being lived in with same condition), at least needs relaying; the main roof appears okay but will need cleaning at a minimum, and the fascias/bargeboards need replacing
✦ 32 coworking seats
✦ potentially 5 plus ensuite mezzanines with big south windows and desk; 6–8 basic ensuite mezzanines with skylights
✦ 1 dorm with at 8+ pods
✦ 1 mezzanine studio

property detail ↗︎