Sadang-dong 305-35 area to be redeveloped into 34-story, 970-unit complex

An area in Sadang-dong 305-35, Dongjak-gu, Seoul will be transformed into a residential complex of up to 34 stories and about 970 units through a fast-track integrated redevelopment plan. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it will gradually widen Sadangno 16-gil to a 16-meter, four-lane road to handle projected traffic growth, and will install community infrastructure along the corridor.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government confirmed Wednesday that it has finalized the fast-track integrated redevelopment plan for the Sadang-dong 305-35 area in Dongjak-gu. The site's zoning will be upgraded from second-class to third-class general residential, and with a project viability adjustment coefficient of 1.17 applied, a complex of about 970 units becomes feasible.

The site is a 10-minute walk from Namseong Station on subway Line 7. The city said it reviewed a complex layout that accounts for the site's elongated north-south shape stretching 430 meters and an elevation difference of up to 22 meters due to the sloped terrain.

"Transit-oriented area revitalization projects and long-term jeonse housing projects are already under way along Sadangno 16-gil, the main road running through the site, so changes in local conditions — including increased traffic — are expected," a city official said. "The site also needs improvements to its road and pedestrian network to handle future traffic demand."

In response, the city centered its planning on five priorities: a phased road network upgrade linked to surrounding development projects, pedestrian and open-space design based on residents' daily movement patterns, tailored facility placement suited to the street's character, a skyline harmonious with the surrounding area, and the application of locally customized incentives.

For the road, the city will first secure a three-lane, 14-meter-wide carriageway with sidewalks on both sides in coordination with the transit-oriented area revitalization project to the north, then widen the entrance section to four lanes and 16 meters as the long-term jeonse housing project to the west moves forward.

The city also plans to create an east-west public pedestrian path, taking into account the elongated rectangular site (430 meters by 90 meters) and residents' walking routes. A retaining wall section on the eastern residential side, where the grade drops sharply by 8 to 9 meters, will be softened with terraced landscaping to reduce the visual sense of imposing height, while the steep stairway will be rebuilt safely and fitted with an elevator to improve pedestrian convenience and safety.

The existing cramped Sadang 4-dong district youth reading room will be expanded, relocated and converted into a full youth training facility. The northern entrance of the site is planned to reach up to 34 stories, with building heights stepping down gradually toward the low-rise residential area to the south and Namseong Middle School, creating a skyline that blends with the surrounding neighborhood.

"This area has multiple development projects under way, so it needs a comprehensive overhaul of its road and pedestrian network that takes all those changes into account," said Kim Chang-gyu, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Urban Space Bureau. "We will support the creation of a residential complex that upgrades community infrastructure along the local living street and connects residents' daily movement routes to drive change in the area."