A Forest-Adjacent Large Complex Embracing Park, Walking Trails, and Campgrounds: 'Pyeongtaek Songhwa District Hillstate'

- Popularity of forest and park proximity complexes for health near residences amid prolonged COVID-19
- Introduction of 'Pyeongtaek Songhwa District Hillstate' boasting double park proximity location

As major issues such as fine dust and COVID-19 continue to arise, residential culture is changing with the comfort of nearby areas emerging as the most important factor in housing selection. Accordingly, in the housing market, the value of complexes with green premiums such as proximity to forests and parks is expected to increase. This is because, due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, more people are seeking apartments with walking trails and forest proximity where they can maintain their health close to their residences.

According to the '2025 Future Housing Trend Report' released by the Housing Industry Research Institute, in a survey on future housing selection factors, comfort ranked first with 35%. This surpassed convenience of transportation (24%), which had always been considered the number one factor in housing choice. The industry evaluates this result as somewhat consistent with the shift in people's lifestyles and consumption patterns towards comfort after COVID-19.

According to Google's 'Community Mobility Report' released in the first half of the year, traffic related to parks in Korea increased by 51% after COVID-19. In contrast, traffic to retail and entertainment facilities such as restaurants and movie theaters decreased by 19%.

Given this situation, the value of residences closer to mountains or parks is rising even more. In the actual sales market, price differences are clearly evident depending on comfort even within the same area. Amidst this clear difference in housing value based on forest and park proximity, a large apartment complex near a park in the Songhwa district of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, is attracting attention.

The (tentatively named) Pyeongtaek Songhwa District Hyundai Local Housing Association, implemented by Hyundai Engineering & Construction, is planning to build 'Pyeongtaek Songhwa District Hillstate' in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do. It will consist of 20 buildings from basement level 1 to 15 floors above ground, with a total of 1,048 households (planned). The complex will feature differentiated exterior design and layout, and offer various unit sizes including ▲74㎡ with 245 units ▲84㎡ with 627 units ▲115㎡ with 176 units.

This complex is located near Namsan Park and Anjeong Park, and a green walking trail adjacent to the complex is also planned. Additionally, Anseongcheon Naeri Culture Park and a camping site are nearby, providing not only residential comfort but also a good environment for leisure activities.

Pyeongtaek Station on Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 is about a 10-minute drive away, and SRT Pyeongtaek Jije Station and Anseong IC are about a 20-minute drive away, making travel inside and outside the area convenient. Following the SRT, the upcoming opening of the KTX from Suwon will allow residents to enjoy the wide-area transportation premium centered on the planned Pyeongtaek Jije Station complex transfer center. Large shopping facilities such as AK Plaza Pyeongtaek, Lotte Mart Pyeongtaek, E-Mart Pyeongtaek, and Anseong Starfield are accessible within 10 to 20 minutes by car. Within a radius of about 500 meters are Paengseong Elementary School and Songhwa Elementary School, and within about 1 km are Cheongdam Middle School and Cheongdam High School, providing an excellent educational environment for children.

With many significant development benefits, this apartment has high future value and is highly anticipated. Various planned district projects around Pyeongtaek city are currently underway. The benefits related to 'Camp Humphreys,' located within a 600-meter walking distance from the complex, are also noteworthy. Pyeongtaek city announced that it will invest about 1.78 trillion KRW this year to improve infrastructure around Camp Humphreys and promote regional development such as community creation. Additionally, preparations are underway for the groundbreaking of Gyeonggi-do's first 5-star tourist hotel, which will include an ice rink, water play facilities, tourist accommodation, international business facilities, international diplomatic cultural facilities, and retail facilities, expecting to expand demand and revitalize the local economy through infrastructure expansion.

Once the ongoing expansion construction of Paengseong Bridge is completed, accessibility to Godeok New Town and the Godeok Samsung Semiconductor Pyeongtaek Campus is expected to improve significantly. After opening, it is anticipated that the relocation demand of Samsung Electronics workers and the number of households expected to reside off-base among U.S. military personnel will increase substantially, which is expected to boost rental and investment demand.

The complex design maximizes lighting and sunlight exposure with a south-facing layout, provides cross ventilation with a 4-bay structure for all units, and offers a pantry in every household. Additionally, alpha room designs (except for the 74㎡ units) maximize space utilization and storage. Various community facilities such as a fitness & GX room, indoor golf practice range & screen golf, small library & reading room, and senior room will be provided. A daycare center within the complex and a 'Together Care Center' for elementary school students, essential for dual-income families, will also be available. Furthermore, there is a benefit of providing full-option home appliances worth about 2 million KRW, including a Styler, Wash Tower, kimchi refrigerator, system air conditioner, and built-in wardrobes, attracting interest not only from actual buyers but also from those considering rental business, according to association officials.

A representative of the (tentatively named) Pyeongtaek Songhwa District Hyundai Local Housing Association stated, “As the first large-scale complex by a top-tier construction company brand in the Songhwa district, it will establish itself as a landmark in the area.”