Seodaemun-gu Greenlights Mixed-Use Redevelopment in Bukahyeon Furniture District

A new residential complex and cultural space for young artists are set to rise in the Bukahyeon-dong furniture district of western Seoul.

The narrow Sinchon-ro 37-gil will also be widened from 8 meters to 12 meters, with sidewalks added on both sides to improve pedestrian conditions for local residents.

Seodaemun-gu approved the project implementation plan for the "Mapo-ro Zone 4, District 1 urban renewal redevelopment project" in Bukahyeon-dong on Wednesday.

The project aims to improve living conditions in an area densely packed with aging low-rise commercial buildings, while leveraging the site's proximity to Ahyeon and Chungjeongno subway stations to expand residential and office functions alongside cultural space and infrastructure.

The project site covers 3,153.2 square meters and will accommodate a mixed-use residential, office and cultural complex spanning two buildings, with up to 23 above-ground floors, five below-ground floors and a maximum height of 79.98 meters. The residential component comprises 89 units for pre-sale and 16 public rental units, totaling 105 households, along with 34 officetels.

A cultural facility on the ground floor along Sinchon-ro will give young artists space for planned exhibitions and small-scale performances. A publicly rented office space for meetings and community gatherings will also be included.

The cultural and office facilities will have separate entrances to ensure public access. A defining feature of the project is its provision of space for youth cultural and artistic activities and community exchange alongside residential and office functions.

Traffic and pedestrian conditions in the surrounding area will also be improved. In coordination with the adjacent Bukahyeon 2 renewal promotion zone, Sinchon-ro 37-gil will be widened by 4 meters — from 8 meters to 12 meters — and new sidewalks will be built on both sides to improve both vehicle flow and pedestrian safety.

The Mapo-ro Zone 4, District 1 site was designated a renewal zone in September 1979, with a project plan finalized in November 1981. Residents proposed revisions to the renewal plan in 2022, and the project subsequently cleared a Seoul Metropolitan Government urban planning committee review and plan approval in 2024 before passing the city's integrated redevelopment review in 2025.

The district office received the project implementation plan application on March 27 and approved it after consultations and reviews with relevant departments.

With the approval in place, detailed plans covering architectural design and infrastructure development have been finalized, and the project will now proceed through subsequent steps including approval of a management and disposal plan.

Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Un-gi said the transformation of the Bukahyeon furniture district should translate into new housing supply, space where young people can be active and safer streets for residents to walk. "I will carefully oversee the follow-up procedures to ensure the approved cultural space and pedestrian environment improvements are actually built," he said.