Reconstruction of Daerim Building in Jongno-gu... Complex Government Office and Fire Station to Be Built

Seoul City Holds Dogae Committee Meeting and Approves Revised Maintenance Plans for Susong Redevelopment Zones 1-2 and 1-3

Daerim Building, Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, Location Map of Jongno-gu Office. (Provided by Seoul City)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The Daerim Building, located in downtown Gwanghwamun, Seoul, will be reconstructed 45 years after its completion. Jongno District Office and Jongno Fire Station will also be reborn as an administrative complex building and a joint fire station through reconstruction.

On the 27th, Seoul City held the 14th Urban Planning Committee meeting and announced on the 28th that it had approved the revised maintenance plan for the Susong Urban Maintenance-type Redevelopment Districts 1-2 and 1-3 in Jongno-gu.

In District 1-2, located at 146-12 Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, the Daerim Gwanghwamun headquarters is situated. It is a business facility with three basement floors and 12 above-ground floors, employing about 1,300 staff. However, since its completion in 1976, the building has aged, raising issues such as building safety and deterioration of the urban landscape.

Accordingly, the city finalized a maintenance plan allowing construction with a floor area ratio of up to 800% and a height of up to 70 meters. The new building is planned to be constructed with six basement floors and 16 above-ground floors. Retail and neighborhood living facilities will be placed on the first floor above ground to the second basement floor, which face the ground, and an open urban space will be planned in connection with the public pedestrian passage on the south side. The 15 floors above ground will house office facilities. A public underground pedestrian passage connecting to Jongno District Office will also be created on the second basement floor. Additionally, through public contributions, a 220-meter waterway of Junghakcheon within the Susong area will be developed.

District 1-3, located at 146-12 Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, where Jongno District Office and Jongno Fire Station are located, will be developed as an integrated project and reborn as the Jongno Administrative Complex Building (Jongno District Office, Jongno District Council, Jongno Public Health Center) and a joint fire station.

Initially, the maintenance plan was established only for the reconstruction of Jongno District Office, but the need for integrated development with Jongno Fire Station, which had poor working conditions, was raised, and full discussions began in 2017. During this process, the necessity of placing the Fire Disaster Headquarters and Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center, which were scheduled to move to Eunpyeong-gu, in the center of Seoul was raised, and finally, a basic plan to build a joint fire station was prepared and approved this time.

The site, historically significant as the former residence of Jeong Do-jeon and the site of Saboksi (a Joseon Dynasty government office overseeing royal palanquins, horses, and stables), with the old Susong Elementary School building remaining, will have Jongno Madang created in the center of the site. The joint fire station will be located on the west side, and the Jongno Administrative Complex Building on the east side. The building is planned to have five basement floors and 16 above-ground floors.

The integrated building design will be completed by January next year, construction will begin, and completion is expected by the end of 2024.