Seoul's 'Last Dal-dongne' Nowon Junggye-dong Baeksamaeul Redevelopment Management Disposal Plan Approval
Published 15 Mar.2024 16:33(KST)
Tied to the Development Restriction Zone Formed in the Late 1960s, Remaining as 'Seoul's Last Dal-dongnae'
Redevelopment Project, Drifting Since 2009 Designation as Maintenance Zone, 'Showing Final Destination'
Luxury Residential Complex with Up to 20 Floors and 2,437 Apartment Units Built Amid Natural Scenery of Bulamsan Foothills
Resident Relocation Completed This Year, Demolition Begins, Construction Starts in 2025, Completion Targeted for 2028
Nowon-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that Baeksamaeul in Junggyebon-dong, the last hillside village in Seoul, is set to be reborn as a premium residential complex harmonizing with nature.
On the 15th, the district office received approval for the housing redevelopment project’s management disposition plan after completing the feasibility verification from the Korea Real Estate Board. This marks the first approval in 15 years since the Junggye-dong 104 area was designated as a housing redevelopment maintenance zone in 2009.
Accordingly, Baeksamaeul will be transformed into a complex of ▲2437 apartment units ▲up to 20 stories high ▲on a total site area of 187,979㎡.
Baeksamaeul was formed in the late 1960s when displaced residents from areas such as Yongsan, Cheonggyecheon, and Anam-dong moved in due to urban development in central Seoul. In 1971, it was designated as a greenbelt area, which gradually worsened the living conditions.
In 2008, the greenbelt designation was lifted, and the following year it was designated as a housing redevelopment maintenance zone, making redevelopment seem imminent.
However, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), the project implementer at the time, abandoned the project amid controversies over profitability, and conflicts among residents over development methods and project costs caused difficulties.
In response, the district office, in close consultation with Seoul City, appointed the Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH) as the new project implementer in 2017. With city support, conflict resolution experts were dispatched on-site to manage the situation.
After persistent efforts including 33 meetings and reviews to gather residents’ opinions and establish a maintenance plan suitable for local characteristics, the plan passed the Seoul City Urban Planning Committee review in May 2019.
Based on the maintenance plan, the project implementation plan was approved in March 2021, followed by the selection of the construction company (GS Construction) in December of the same year. By December 2022, landowners had applied for unit allocation, achieving a high application rate of 96.6%, with 1,216 out of 1,258 eligible applicants.
The district office evaluates that with the approval of the management disposition plan, the Baeksamaeul redevelopment project has entered its final stage. Currently, out of 562 original households, 475 (about 85%) have already relocated. Since 2019, relocation has been continuously promoted for residents living in hazardous buildings to prevent safety accidents.
The district plans to complete resident relocation this year and proceed with demolishing vacant houses.
The apartments to be built here will be up to 20 stories tall with 2,437 units, scheduled to begin construction in 2025 and targeted for completion in 2028. The district is establishing an integrated maintenance plan that introduces innovative architectural designs without discrimination or segregation between general sale and rental complexes.
Once completed, this area, once the last hillside village in Seoul, will be transformed into a premium residential complex blending with nature at the foot of Bukhansan Mountain. Within a 15-minute walk, there are educational environments including the Eunnang Intersection academy district and school zones representing the Gangbuk area, and transportation conditions are expected to improve significantly with the construction of the Dongbuk Line light rail, enabling access to Wangsimni within 20 minutes.
The district office intends to focus administrative capabilities to expedite subsequent procedures, as the long stagnation of the Baeksamaeul redevelopment project has caused fatigue among residents and severe aging of buildings, raising safety concerns.
Meanwhile, in response to early resident relocation, the district plans to thoroughly manage the safety of nearby residents until project completion by installing security CCTV, operating a security management control room, and patrol teams to prevent crimes and various safety accidents that may occur in vacant houses and aging facilities.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Baeksamaeul represents the deteriorated residential environment of Nowon and is heading toward the culmination of long efforts,” adding, “We will spare no support to ensure that Nowon-gu’s major redevelopment and reconstruction projects proceed smoothly.”
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