An update has come in one of the most controversial developments in recent Parisian history: The Belgian construction group Besix has been announced as the contractor for the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Tour Triangle in the 15th arrondissement’s Parc des Expositions.

Global Construction Review is now reporting that the Brussels-based concern has been tapped by developers Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) to lead the building and construction of the €670 million ($757 million) mixed-use tower. The company can now add the project to its list of high-profile developments that includes the Uptown Tower in Dubai and Pierre Fakhoury's record-setting F Tower development in the Ivory Coast.

The news comes about two months after a final attempt by local politicians to halt groundbreaking on the fraught 42-story development. Detractors have been pushing for years to have the Toblerone-shaped tower taken off the slate of future large-scale schemes in the capital region. Once completed, the building will become the city's tallest structure outside of the Eiffel Tower and Tour Montparnasse. Its height, aberrant shape and material, and location outside of Paris’ La Defense district have long made it a target for traditionalists who feel the development could have negative impacts on the city’s fiercely protected aesthetic character.

The process will begin later in the year and culminate in 2026 with a multi-use tower that boasts a slate of environmental certifications including Effinergie and Breeam Excellent. Besix says it has developed methods that will minimize damage to the nearby Parc and expects to add about 5,000 jobs as a result of the construction process. French engineering firm Artelia will serve as the project managers for the site. Archinect will provide more construction updates as they become available.