Seoul greenlights redevelopment projects to supply 4,422 homes across Gangnam, Yongsan, Gangseo and Gwangjin

Ilwon Hansol to be rebuilt as 960-unit complex; Ichon Bando to rise 58 floors

Yeomchang quasi-industrial floor-area ratio eased; Junggok to become 2,200-unit complex

Tourism accommodation sites near Hapjeong Station eligible for floor-area ratio boost of up to 1.3 times

The Hansol apartment complex in Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu. [Naver Street View]

Redevelopment projects covering four sites across Seoul — the Hansol apartment complex in Gangnam-gu's Ilwon-dong, the Bando apartment complex in Yongsan-gu's Ichon-dong, the Woosung 1st and 2nd phase and Samcheonri complexes in Gangseo-gu's Yeomchang-dong, and Zone A in Gwangjin-gu's Junggok 1-dong — have cleared urban planning review. Together, the four projects will lay the groundwork for supplying a total of 4,422 housing units. A district-unit plan covering the area around Hapjeong Station in Mapo-gu will also be revised to ease floor-area ratio incentives and standards for tourism accommodation facilities.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it convened meetings of the Urban Planning Committee and the Rapid Integrated Planning subcommittee on Monday to deliberate on the redevelopment and district-unit plan proposals.

The Hansol apartment complex in Ilwon-dong will be rebuilt from its current 570 units into a complex of up to 25 floors with a total of 960 units, including 79 public rental homes. Completed in 1994, the complex received a zoning upgrade through the review — from a second-class general residential zone limited to seven floors to a standard second-class general residential zone — with a maximum statutory floor-area ratio of 249.99 percent applied.

Given the site's location on the slopes of Daemosan, the plan calls for a view corridor at least 20 meters wide to preserve sightlines to the mountain from key vantage points, with building heights capped at 70 meters. A tree-lined pedestrian path will be created along Gwangpyeong-ro using a 5-meter setback, while Gwangpyeong-ro 10-gil will be widened to 12 meters to improve the walking environment. On the northwestern side of the complex, a daycare center with a total floor area of 2,000 square meters will be built, along with a public nursery and a community childcare center.

Location map for the reconstruction of the Bando apartment complex in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Bando apartment complex in Ichon-dong has also taken its first step toward reconstruction. Built in 1977 and now nearly 49 years old, the complex will be rebuilt from its current 192 units into a 58-story, 276-unit development, including 55 public housing units. The Seoul Metropolitan Government conditionally approved the designation of the Bando apartment reconstruction improvement zone and a revision to the district-unit plan for the Seobinggo apartment district.

Taking advantage of the site's proximity to the Han River and Hanuri Park, community facilities — including a small library, a residents' cafe and a lounge — will be opened to the public. A 10-meter pedestrian walkway will be secured between the road and the complex along the Han River and Dongjakdaero, with shaded rest areas, awnings and street trees to be installed to improve the summer walking environment.

Aerial rendering of the integrated reconstruction of the Woosung 1st and 2nd phase and Samcheonri apartment complexes in Yeomchang-dong, Gangseo-gu. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

In Yeomchang-dong, the Woosung 1st and 2nd phase and Samcheonri complexes will be jointly rebuilt, growing from 602 units into a 39-story, 986-unit development with 224 public rental homes. The complexes, now about 34 years old, secured the conditions for the project by raising the quasi-industrial zone floor-area ratio from 250 percent to 400 percent and applying a project viability adjustment coefficient. The plan cleared review roughly 14 months after rapid integrated planning consultations began last July.

An internal road running through the complex will be widened to improve commuting routes to Yeomgyeong Elementary School and conditions for community bus and vehicle traffic. Shaded rest areas, low-rise arcades and street trees will be installed along the neighborhood commercial street. Some units larger than 85 square meters in exclusive use area will incorporate a "three-generation senior housing" model, allowing parents and adult children to live together while maintaining independent living spaces.

The Yeomchang Woosung 1st and 2nd phase and Samcheonri reconstruction site sits adjacent to Yeomchang Neighborhood Park, which the government recently designated as a new public housing district. Through its "rapid housing supply plan" announced Aug. 13, the government said it would supply 1,000 public housing units on approximately 51,000 square meters of degraded land within the park, with ground-breaking set for 2029. It is the only site in Seoul included as a new public housing district under that plan.

Aerial rendering of the redevelopment of the area around 254-15 Junggok 1-dong, Gwangjin-gu. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

An aging low-rise residential area around 254-15 in Gwangjin-gu's Junggok 1-dong will be redeveloped into a residential complex of up to 35 floors with 2,200 units, including 424 rental homes. The site will be rezoned from a second-class to a third-class general residential zone, with a redevelopment plan floor-area ratio of 299.54 percent secured through the application of a project viability adjustment coefficient of 1.53 and public contributions.

A green corridor linking Jungnangcheon stream with Yongmasan and Achasan will also be created. A children's park spanning 6,724 square meters will be built on the eastern side of the complex, with a walking path connecting Jungnangcheon to green spaces and parks within the development. A 20-meter-wide view corridor will be secured from Jungnangcheon toward Achasan, and a public complex building housing a community center, a daycare center and a public parking lot will be constructed. Surrounding roads — including Dongil-ro, Ginggorang-ro and Myeonmok-ro — will also be widened.

Location map of the district-unit plan (preservation management zone) for the Hapjeong district. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The district-unit plan for the area around Hapjeong Station in Mapo-gu will be revised to ease development standards. The Seoul Metropolitan Government approved with modifications a revision to the district-unit plan covering 82,501.6 square meters of the preservation management zone within the Hapjeong district, and decided to unify the floor-area ratio standards that had previously varied by zone.

Applying public interest criteria — including smart city features, carbon neutrality and design innovation — will allow the permitted floor-area ratio to rise to up to 110 percent of the ordinance floor-area ratio. A separate requirement that 10 percent of floor area in commercial zones be used for non-residential purposes will be abolished, though the 10 percent non-residential gross floor area standard under the urban planning ordinance for mixed-use residential buildings will be retained.

Incentives for tourism accommodation facilities will also be expanded. Facilities meeting three-star or higher standards will be eligible for a floor-area ratio of up to 1.3 times the ordinance rate — meaning sites in general commercial zones could see their ratio rise from 800 percent to as high as 1,040 percent. The relaxed standard applies to projects that file for a building permit by Jan. 4, 2029.

quq@heraldcorp.com