Nowon-gu's Meticulously Planned Gwangwoon University Station Area Development Transforms Urban Map
The 40-Year Dream of Wolgye-dong, Leading the Gangbuk Renaissance as a Compact City Integrating Work and Residence
Public Contribution Projects Open to Local Residents Continue, Including Extension of Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail
Strong Commitment to Reconstruction of Wolgye 2 Housing Development District Ignites Enthusiasm
Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it is accelerating the thorough promotion of the Gwangwoon University Station area development.
As the residential land (hereinafter Seoul One I-Park) sale, which marked the start of the Gwangwoon University Station area development project, has attracted unprecedented attention from the real estate sector, various subsequent public contribution projects are naturally drawing interest.
The main public contributions of the Gwangwoon University Station area development project include ▲activation of the local community through insufficient living SOC (libraries, cultural and sports facilities, youth startup support centers, etc.) and public dormitories ▲completion of a pedestrian green axis connecting the local attractions Gollidan-gil and Hwarangdae Healing Town by extending the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail.
This is to complete a concentrated city of work, residence, and leisure (Jik-Ju-Rak) expanded to culture and leisure in this area, which has already secured new economic center functions such as the relocation of HDC Hyundai Development Company (hereinafter Hyundai Development) headquarters and a 5-star Marriott hotel.
After holding the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gwangwoon University Station area development project last month, the district office collaborated with Hyundai Development, the project implementer, benchmarking advanced Japanese cases to develop public land open to residents. In this process, district officials carefully inspected site utilization linked to railroads and integrated leisure space models, and based on these ideas, they are establishing plans to enhance cultural facilities, open plazas, and pedestrian-friendly designs on public land.
As the change that made people ask, “Can this really happen in Nowon?” became visible, the movement of nearby reconstruction promotion complexes also accelerated. The reconstruction of Wolgye Siyoung Apartments (nicknamed ‘Mimi Sam’), which will directly experience the changes around Gwangwoon University Station, is the beginning.
On the 14th, Seoul City revised and approved the designation and plan decision for the Wolgye 2 Residential Development District unit plan area through the Urban and Architectural Joint Committee. As a result, it is expected to be reborn as 6,700 households through reconstruction, becoming a representative residential complex in Gangbuk. Combined with Seoul One I-Park, it will be a new construction volume approaching about 10,000 households.
The district plans to lead the overall urban transformation by building infrastructure that allows residents to share the benefits of development through the public contributions of these large-scale development projects.
The Gwangwoon University Station area development project had been a 40-year-long wish of Wolgye-dong residents, but the process was not smooth. The residents’ desire to recreate the long-neglected Gwangwoon University Station logistics site into a complex urban space, combined with the district’s efforts to build a new economic center beyond the limitations of a bedroom community, overcame a difficult process.
The biggest crisis was the unauthorized occupation and sit-in protest by the dockworkers’ union after the logistics site operation was suspended. At that time, the district succeeded in bringing the project back on track, which was on the verge of collapse, by leading an agreement through persistent mediation efforts 23 times with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the union, Hyundai Development, and Korail.
Collaboration with Hyundai Development, selected as the project implementer after two failed bids, is also being carried out closely. In particular, there is shared commitment to the concept of a compact city combining work, residence, and leisure, and to an open complex that is not isolated but connected to nearby areas. Hyundai Development also announced that even after the development project is completed, it will directly own and operate some office and commercial facilities to promote co-growth between companies and the local community.
Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “The Gwangwoon University Station area development, as a concentration of a new economic center, high-quality residential complex, and emotional leisure facilities, represents the ‘Gangbuk Renaissance Era.’ We will lead the completion of a future city model harmonizing proximity of work and residence with leisure, showcasing Nowon-gu’s vision for the next 100 years.”
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