Lotte Construction said on the 6th that it finished construction of the Chang-dong private-investment station on the 30th of last month. Lotte Construction projected that the northeastern area of Seoul will be reborn as a residential and commercial hub equipped with large-scale mixed facilities for shopping and culture.
The Chang-dong private-investment station development, a long-cherished project for Dobong-gu residents, broke ground in 2004 but was halted in 2010 due to management issues at the developer. With corporate rehabilitation proceedings and a change of builder, the work remained suspended and neglected for more than 10 years.
After going through corporate rehabilitation and business normalization in 2021, Lotte Construction took over the project in 2022 and completed the work while reinforcing the existing structure. Local governments expect that the completion will draw residents' spending, which had been leaking outside, back into the area, revitalizing nearby commercial districts and strengthening the foundation for the local economy's self-reliance.
The Chang-dong private-investment station was developed above Chang-dong Station on Subway Line 1 and consists of sales and transport facilities spanning two underground levels to 10 stories above ground, with a total floor area of about 86,571 square meters. A mixed-use mall with functions for shopping, culture, leisure and work, called "Arena X Square," is set to be built. Plans for the sales facilities include: ▲ first-floor food and beverage and bakery ▲ third-floor general goods and retail stores ▲ fourth and sixth floors for apparel and sports stores ▲ eighth and ninth floors for specialty restaurants, a food court and a kids' cafe ▲ 10th-floor hospital and pharmacy.
Located near the boundary between Dobong-gu and Nowon-gu, Chang-dong Station serves a catchment of about 390,000 people within a 3-kilometer radius. In addition to the existing operations of Subway Lines 1 and 4, the Great Train Express (GTX) C line is slated to open, further improving access from Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu and across Seoul and the greater metropolitan area.
Large-scale development is also underway, including "Seoul Arena," the country's largest K-pop–dedicated performance hall and mixed cultural complex on nearby city-owned land, and Seoul Digital Bio City (S-DBC) on the site vacated by the relocation of the Chang-dong rail depot.
The Chang-dong Station area is expected to shift from a residential-centered district to the residential and commercial hub of northeastern Seoul, equipped with cultural, industrial and transportation infrastructure as well as work and commercial functions.
A Lotte Construction official said, "Reborn as a mixed space with functions for commerce, culture, leisure and work, the Chang-dong private-investment station can emerge as a landmark representing not only Dobong-gu but the entire northeastern area of Seoul."