The 4.1 billion won package covers 1.8 billion won for Sogong Stay, 2.1 billion won for a Cheonggu-dong hillside elevator, and more — with the youth housing project on track for completion in September next year
Jung-gu in Seoul has received a boost for its "Sogong Stay" project, which will convert the former Sogong-dong community center into affordable housing for young residents.
The district secured 4.1 billion won ($3.04 million) in second-half special adjustment grants from the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday, earmarked for youth residential support and the expansion of community facilities.
The grants are allocated across three projects: 1.8 billion won for Sogong Stay, 2.1 billion won for the installation of an elevator at Cheonggu-dong Village Square, and 150 million won for the renovation of the Yaksu Sarangto deck trail.
Sogong Stay is targeted for completion in September next year. The project will remodel the vacant former Sogong-dong community center building — left empty after the new Sogong Nuri Center opened last April — into a four-story complex. The ground floor will house shared facilities including meeting rooms and community spaces, while the upper three floors will provide around 20 single-occupancy units for young residents.
Sogong-dong is a densely developed area packed with public institutions, large corporations and commercial establishments, and is well served by public transport. Demand for housing among young people remains consistently high given its ideal live-work proximity, but steep market prices make it difficult for those just starting their careers to live there.
The district plans to lease Sogong Stay units to young people without homes at below-market rates, helping them achieve residential and financial stability.
A long-awaited elevator project at Cheonggu-dong Village Square will also move forward in earnest. Reaching the Namsan hillside forest trail from the village square currently requires climbing a steep staircase 105 meters long and 40 meters high — a challenge even for able-bodied visitors.
Jung-gu had previously secured 5.6 billion won in project funding through a Seoul Metropolitan Government competition last year for the installation of mobility-assistance facilities in hillside areas.
The latest grant of 2.1 billion won will cover additional costs that arose during the detailed design phase.
The Yaksu Sarangto deck trail — in place for more than 20 years — will also be transformed into an eco-friendly walking path. The surface will be relaid with natural timber, and railings, handrails and anti-glare lighting will be replaced or installed so residents can use the path safely at night and in wet weather.
Jung-gu District Mayor Kim Gil-sung said the grants had given new momentum to both the Sogong Stay and Cheonggu-dong elevator projects. "We will make every effort to secure external funding so that projects that make a real difference to residents' daily lives and convenience can move forward even faster," he said.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
