La Cité

In 1853, Jean Dollfus founded SOMCO, a company that immediately began constructing workers' housing between the discharge canal and Colmar Avenue. By 1856, urban development extended beyond the canal towards the DMC factory. The homes were divided into three distinct models: terraced houses inspired by the English model, arranged back-to-back with a front garden or organized between a courtyard and garden, and the "Mulhouse square," an innovation by SOMCO. This last type of house, divided into four independent units, featured separate entrances and a small garden. In total, 1,243 houses were built, with a major feature: the possibility for workers to become homeowners.