Suwon's Hwaseo Public Parking Lot Selected as '8th Happy Housing Candidate Site for 2019'

[Suwon Ilbo=Correspondent Seo Dong-young] The Hwaseo Public Parking Lot area in Suwon (Suwon Hwaseo) has been selected as the '8th Happy Housing Candidate Site for 2019' in a public recruitment for the 'Jobs-Linked Support Housing Project 2019' led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The candidate site is currently in use as the Hwaseo Public Parking Lot, located at 691-13 Deokyeong-daero, Paldal-gu, Suwon (7,864㎡).

The 'Jobs-Linked Support Housing Public Recruitment' project submitted by the city covered three types of jobs-linked housing: startup support housing, regional strategic industry support housing, and mid-career worker support housing.

The Hwaseo Public Parking Lot was selected for the startup support housing project. Following the candidate site selection, the Hwaseo Public Parking Lot area will be transformed into a complex development project site featuring 500 Happy Housing units, transfer parking facilities (approximately 300 spaces), and startup support facilities including startup and startup office spaces, educational facilities, and conference rooms.

In connection with the 'Daeyupyeong District Unit Plan', the area will be developed as a single complex residential, commercial, and business district connecting Hwaseo Station, a complex transfer center (including startup support facilities), commercial facilities, neighborhood parks, and residential facilities.

The project will be jointly promoted by the city, LH, and KT&G Corporation. The city will provide the land, and LH will provide approximately 50 billion won for housing construction costs (up to 500 units). KT&G Corporation, the proposer of the Daeyupyeong District Unit Plan, will provide approximately 35 billion won in facility investment costs including transfer facilities. A total of approximately 130 billion won will be invested.

The city and LH plan to sign a memorandum of understanding in the near future and establish a working-level committee to launch the project in earnest. The goal is to break ground in 2021 and complete the project by the end of 2022.

The project site has three universities—Sungkyunkwan University, Ajou University, and Kyonggi University—within a 5km radius, and is close to Gosaek Industrial Complex and Samsung Digital Complex, providing abundant potential demand.

Additionally, the Daeyupyeong District features large neighborhood parks such as Sukji Park, Seoho Park, Yeogi Mountain Park, and Seoho Flower Hill Park, as well as numerous elementary, middle, and high schools, providing a good residential environment. The area also offers convenient transportation with Hwaseo Station (100m away), Suwon Station, and Seo-Suwon Bus Terminal nearby.

Ki Woo-jin, head of the city's Urban Planning Division, said, "The project site has excellent transportation infrastructure, and if the Shinbundang Line is extended, Gangnam, Pangyo, Bundang, Gwanggyo, and Hwaseo (Startup Support Center) stations could become a venture enterprise hub," and added, "The selection of the Happy Housing public recruitment project will serve as a model case for complex development that encompasses both startups and housing."

He continued, "When the project is completed, the project site area can develop into a hub not only for West Suwon but also for the southern Gyeonggi region. Suwon City will play the role of an incubator for venture enterprises," he added with optimism.