From left: the Biryong Keundungi living SOC complex, the Biryong Deul Community Center and the Yeollin Dungi 2 Welfare Center. [Incheon Housing & Urban Corporation]
From left: the Biryong Keundungi living SOC complex, the Biryong Deul Community Center and the Yeollin Dungi 2 Welfare Center. [Incheon Housing & Urban Corporation]

An urban renewal project in Yonghyeon-dong, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, that had been stalled by funding shortfalls is now nearing completion.

Incheon Housing & Urban Corporation (iH) announced Tuesday that the key facilities of its Biryong Gamsam 2080 urban renewal project — aimed at improving residential conditions in the old city center and restoring local community ties — are set to be completed in December.

Three facilities are slated for completion: the Biryong Keundungi living SOC complex, which will serve as the project's central hub; the Biryong Deul Community Center, a space for resident communication and community activities; and the Yeollin Dungi 2 Welfare Center, a neighborhood-level welfare facility.

The project launched in February 2020 under an agreement between Michuhol-gu and iH, but hit a serious obstacle when efforts to secure additional funding fell through, casting doubt on whether it could be finished within the year.

The three institutions — Incheon city, Michuhol-gu and iH — eventually joined forces to secure the shortfall in time, streamlining construction schedules to meet the original year-end completion target.

The centerpiece of the project is the Biryong Keundungi complex, a large-scale living SOC facility spanning two basement floors and six above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 12,000 square meters.

The complex brings together welfare services, child care, residential support and parking under one roof — functions long needed in the aging neighborhood. It is expected to ease the chronic parking shortage in the old city center while becoming a community hub where residents of all generations can gather.

The Biryong Deul Community Center will support resident-led communication and community activities, while the Yeollin Dungi 2 Welfare Center will house a short-term care center and a senior citizens' lounge, providing tailored welfare services for vulnerable groups and the elderly.

Following the facility completions, iH plans to hold the Biryong Gamsam community festival in late October to celebrate the project's achievements with residents and mark a new chapter for the neighborhood.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com