New platform launches to guide reconstruction and redevelopment projects from start to finish

A new solution platform has emerged to support urban renewal projects from initial feasibility reviews through completion and wind-down.

According to the urban renewal industry, Dosijeonbi Partners Group launched its website and began formal operations recently. The platform brings together 376 members across 14 fields — including urban planning, architectural design, construction and civil engineering, redevelopment project management, finance and trust services, and legal, tax and accounting services — along with 214 member firms.

The platform aims to connect associations or project operators facing challenges with in-house experts who can share insights and develop solutions. Specialists from each field submit proposals that are reviewed collectively, allowing clients to choose the approach best suited to their project conditions. Once a direction is set, a dedicated task force manages the implementation process.

The platform also provides professional support to associations during negotiations with contractors and subcontractors. It reviews construction costs and contract terms, and supplies analysis to help associations explain project direction and contract conditions at general meetings, delegate assemblies and board meetings.

Beyond that, the platform reviews and coordinates decision-making, permitting and construction schedules, and sets out stage-by-stage timelines for architectural review and project implementation approval. It mediates disputes within associations and among project participants, and flags in advance any factors that could lead to design changes or construction delays.

From the early stages of a project, the platform compares estimated cost contributions, proportional ratios and financial projections across different scenarios, and helps draft bidding guidelines for design and contractor selection in line with the association's budget — checking for factors that could drive up project costs. Value engineering and constructability reviews run in parallel from the basic and detailed design phases to reduce unnecessary design changes. The platform also aims to define contractor responsibilities regarding construction quality and cost increases to head off disputes, and will verify that the quality standards presented in designs and model houses are reflected in actual construction.

The platform said it plans to extend its expertise beyond urban renewal into urban development, regional development and tourism development.

For urban development projects led by landowners and developers, the platform will be involved from development planning through financing to construction and pre-sales. It will analyze land-use potential and profitability, and support permitting work such as designating urban development zones, establishing district-unit plans and changing land-use classifications. It will also handle project financing structure design, trust arrangement reviews and investor matching.

For local governments and community organizations, the platform will propose development and revitalization strategies tailored to local conditions. It will analyze the current state of each area and the causes of decline to formulate growth strategies, and link those to national and local government grant programs and public policy. Plans include support for tourism development, commercial facility planning and operations, and infrastructure improvements, with ongoing performance monitoring and identification of follow-on projects.

Jeon Young-se, chairman of Dosijeonbi Partners Group, said project stakeholders in urban renewal and broader urban planning and construction have often suffered losses due to gaps in information and professional expertise. "We hope Dosijeonbi Partners Group can narrow those gaps so that clients can pursue projects more efficiently, while participating experts gain access to more project opportunities," he said.

Meanwhile, the urban renewal project market is forecast to reach as much as 80 trillion won ($60.4 billion) this year.