Sintong Planning Passed for Bulgwang Station Area... A Complex of 314 Households to Be Built

An apartment complex with more than 300 households will be built around Bulgwang Station in Eunpyeong-gu.

On the 13th, Seoul City announced that it had finalized the rapid integrated planning proposal for the ‘Bulgwang-dong 600 Area Redevelopment Project Candidate Site.’ This area is expected to be transformed into a complex residential area with about 314 households on a scale of 13,104㎡ and a height of 25 floors. The project site was designated as a maintenance zone in 2009 but was deregulated in 2014 due to conflicts between commercial tenants and residents and a decline in project feasibility. Since then, through a public contest for housing maintenance-type redevelopment candidates in 2021, the site received support from Seoul City’s rapid integrated planning, putting the redevelopment project back on track after nine years.

The target site is located within 250 meters of Bulgwang Station on Subway Lines 3 and 6, making subway access very convenient. However, due to narrow one-way streets and dead-end roads that prevent vehicle entry, the residential environment is poor despite its potential as a station area. Seoul City proposed redevelopment and maintenance directions that overcome the site’s potential and land conditions.

First, to ensure that the existing Bulgwang Station commercial district (Bulgwang Meokja Alley) can be maintained after redevelopment, street-type commercial spaces will be arranged on the lower floors, and pedestrian pathways and public parking lots will be planned to support commercial activities. To protect the existing commercial district as much as possible, Seojik Jinheung-ro 15-gil and Bukjik Bulgwang-ro 2-gil were designated as street-type commercial space zones, and sidewalks and open spaces in front of shops were secured to be more than twice as wide as before to improve the business environment. Additionally, considering parking demand from commercial visitors, an underground public parking lot for about 60 vehicles will be constructed.

Plans to improve the existing narrow and inconvenient road system were also included. Seojik Jinheung-ro 15-gil will be expanded from a one-way street to two lanes allowing two-way traffic, and a public pedestrian passage connecting nearby apartment complexes directly to Bulgwang Station will be planned. To function as a single communication point with surrounding apartment complexes, an open plaza will be created at the intersection where Bulgwang Meokja Alley and the public pedestrian passage within the complex meet, providing an outdoor space that can accommodate various programs to revitalize the commercial district.

Maximizing the locational advantage of being situated at the foot of Bukhansan Mountain, the complex will secure views of Bukhansan within the site, and a sightline corridor will be planned so that the Bukhansan ridge is visible from Bulgwang Meokja Alley, creating an open landscape and skyline. While surrounding developments are at the 12- to 18-floor level, the floor count will be increased up to 25 floors to secure an open sightline axis toward Bukhansan, and open outdoor spaces will be created within the complex to allow views of Bukhansan. Additionally, considering sunlight impact on Bulgwang Elementary School to the north, the skyline will be designed to slope downward to the north, minimizing sunlight obstruction to the surrounding area.

The city plans to quickly proceed with the maintenance plan drafting process within the year in cooperation with the Eunpyeong-gu Maintenance Project Rapid Promotion Team. Also, by applying the simplified procedures of rapid integrated planning, the project period is expected to be significantly shortened through integrated review by the Urban Planning Committee’s delegated subcommittee and the project implementation plan.

Jo Nam-jun, Director of Seoul City’s Urban Planning Bureau, said, “We focused on presenting a reasonable alternative that can coexist with the existing commercial district in an area where development was difficult despite the locational potential of the station area,” adding, “Through rapid integrated planning, we will support improving the poor residential environment while protecting the living grounds of local residents as much as possible.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.