Development of the long-stalled former CJ Group factory site in Gayang-dong is finally gaining momentum. Gangseo-gu has approved a plan to convert part of a previously planned knowledge industry center into a residential complex of about 960 units, clearing the way for a major mixed-use development in Seoul's southwestern corridor.
The project reached a turning point Wednesday, when Seoul's Joint Urban and Architecture Committee approved — with modifications — a proposed revision to the district unit plan for the Gayang-dong CJ factory site.
Once a pillar of local industry, the site has sat largely unused since the factory relocated, leaving behind a large idle tract. Its proximity to Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station on subway Line 9 and the Magok industrial complex has kept it in the spotlight as a key development node for southwestern Seoul.
The site was designated a district unit planning zone in 2012, and a development plan centered on a knowledge industry center along with office and retail facilities was drawn up in 2022. Construction broke ground in March 2025.
A prolonged real estate downturn and shifting market conditions delayed the project. In October last year, the district received a formal proposal from the project operator to rezone part of the industrial site for residential use and began reviewing it.
Through the Joint Urban and Architecture Committee process and expert consultations, the district steadily refined the plan to ensure architectural harmony with the surrounding area, a safe and comfortable pedestrian environment, and stronger connectivity between public spaces.
Wednesday's approval reflects the joint effort of Gangseo-gu and the Seoul Metropolitan Government to advance a mixed-use development that preserves industrial functions within Seoul's semi-industrial zone while integrating residential and lifestyle amenities.
Under the revised district unit plan, part of the originally planned knowledge industry center will be converted into a residential complex of about 960 units. The remainder of the site will proceed as originally planned, with a knowledge industry center and office and retail facilities.
The revised plan also calls for a new senior vitality and youth facility spanning about 1,980 square meters across one below-ground and six above-ground floors. Reflecting the area's relatively large populations of young residents and older adults, the complex is designed as a multigenerational space offering a range of tailored lifestyle services.
"The Gayang-dong site is a key engine of Gangseo-gu's future growth and a space that residents care deeply about," district mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said. "We will do our utmost to develop it into a flagship mixed-use destination for southwestern Seoul — one where industry, housing and everyday life come together in harmony."
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