Seoul approves 186-meter mixed-use tower in Jung-gu, eyes joint redevelopment in Gangdong-gu

Zone 6-1-4 of the Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District in Jung-gu, Seoul, is set to be transformed into a mixed-use cultural and business hub in the Chungmuro area.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it approved a revised redevelopment promotion plan for the Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District and Zone 6-1-4 at its fifth Urban Redevelopment Committee meeting, held Monday.

The decision supports the city's ongoing effort to create a "Jongmyo-to-Toegyero Green Eco-City Center" and establish a mixed-use hub in the Chungmuro area combining cultural and business functions. The city said it aims to expand green space and cultural venues in the urban core and inject new vitality into an aging district.

Under the plan, the site's zoning will be upgraded from general commercial to central commercial. The floor area ratio will be capped at 1,300 percent, building coverage at 60 percent, and maximum building height at 186 meters.

The architectural plan calls for a 38-story mixed-use complex. The development will include cultural and arts spaces reflecting Chungmuro's cultural identity, a venture company cluster facility, office space and neighborhood commercial facilities. A multipurpose cultural venue capable of hosting performances, fashion shows and other events is also planned.

The project will also improve the pedestrian environment and expand green space. Open green areas will be created at ground level and on the rooftop so residents can enjoy nature and culture in their daily lives. Exit 8 of Euljiro 3-ga Station will be relocated to improve pedestrian conditions along Chungmuro and enhance walkability and urban connectivity.

Meanwhile, the Cultural Heritage Administration has maintained that its order to implement protective measures for the historic and cultural environment around Jongmyo Shrine — related to the nearby Sewoon Zone 4 redevelopment project — remains in effect. The agency has asked SH Corporation to conduct a World Heritage Impact Assessment and supplement its project plan, and has requested that Seoul and Jongno-gu suspend licensing and permit procedures until the assessment is complete.

Roads and public open spaces within the Cheonho-Seongnae Redevelopment Promotion District in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, will be developed jointly with adjacent lots.

The sites are located within a preservation management zone inside the Cheonho-Seongnae Redevelopment Promotion District, currently governed by a district unit plan. Small roads and public open spaces designated as urban planning facilities had remained in the area.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the facilities were no longer needed as urban planning infrastructure, and that some had been used as illegal parking spaces, degrading the back-street environment and causing inconvenience for residents.

In response, the city decided to decommission the roads and public open spaces and bundle them with adjacent lots to encourage joint development. The move aims to improve the deteriorated back-street environment and create a safer, more pleasant pedestrian and road environment.

Earlier, when the city revised the Cheonho-Seongnae District Unit Plan in October last year, it designated the roads and public open spaces as targets for joint development and decided to formally decommission them as urban planning facilities at the development planning stage.