Area near Seongnae-dong 448-1 selected as first pilot site, targeting underused non-transit-oriented land for high-density mixed-use redevelopment
District to build K-culture business cluster linking education and fashion firms with Olympic Park
Gangdong-gu announced Wednesday that the area around Seongnae-dong 448-1 has been selected as the first pilot site under the Seoul Metropolitan Government's "growth-potential zone revitalization project," marking a new turning point for balanced regional development in the district.
The growth-potential zone revitalization project is a new initiative designed to extend development beyond transit-oriented areas to non-transit-oriented zones, promoting more balanced growth across the city. It targets major arterial roads at least 35 meters wide with strong public transit access and sizable resident populations, encouraging high-density mixed-use development — combining office, commercial and residential uses through zoning upgrades — to create what the city calls "Seoul-style new lifestyle hubs."
The Seoul Metropolitan Government solicited pilot site nominations from district offices in June, reviewed their suitability, and on Tuesday confirmed four locations — including the Seongnae-dong 448-1 area in Gangdong-gu — as the first designated pilot sites.
Gangdong-gu is the only district in southeastern Seoul selected for this pilot program. The designation opens the door to transforming a large, long-underused and low-density site along Gangdong-daero into a business, commercial and cultural hub linked to Olympic Park.
Despite its strong development potential, the area has long been occupied by aging office facilities due to a lack of development tools for non-transit-oriented zones. The recent move-in of residents at the nearby Olympicpark Foreon complex has boosted the local population, with a growing share of residents in their 30s and 40s and families with young children — yet the area remains short on office, commercial and cultural spaces as well as everyday amenities. This has heightened the need to rapidly supply facilities suited to local demand through high-density mixed-use development.
Gangdong-gu plans to use the project to create quality jobs, expand local consumption and revitalize the surrounding small-business district. The district also aims to build a live-work-play ecosystem and develop a "K-culture business cluster" by connecting nearby education and fashion companies with the performance infrastructure at Olympic Park.
The selection reflects Gangdong-gu's proactive efforts to identify candidate sites and secure participation in the program. The district conducted a comprehensive analysis of major arterial corridors to find sites with high development potential that met the program's requirements, then held ongoing consultations with landowners to lay the groundwork for the project. Going forward, the district plans to work closely with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to swiftly advance follow-up steps, including establishing a district-unit plan and drawing up a detailed public-contribution scheme.
"This selection as a pilot site for the growth-potential zone revitalization project is an important turning point for realizing the development potential of the Gangdong-daero corridor, which has been undervalued due to its non-transit-oriented status," Gangdong-gu District Mayor Lee Su-hee said. "We will develop the Gangdong-daero corridor into a business, commercial and cultural hub linked to Olympic Park, drive balanced regional development, and realize our vision of Gangdong as a self-sufficient city of 500,000 where growth and quality of life coexist — a place where residents can live the life they truly want."
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