Current status of 7 abandoned prime lands in the center of Ho Chi Minh City

According to data from the People's Committee of District 1, there are 26 "golden land" areas in the area, with a total area of ​​tens of thousands of square meters, that have been vacant or unfinished for many years. Some areas with large areas include: 133 Nguyen Hue (Tax Trade Center, 9,000 square meters); 87 Cong Quynh (over 8,000 square meters); 2-4-6 Hai Ba Trung (6,000 square meters); 8-12 Le Duan (5,000 square meters), Ben Thanh quadrangle (3,800 square meters)... Of these, 15 projects have vacant land (two places are being used as parking lots). The remaining 11 areas are under construction.

Land lot number 2-4-6 Hai Ba Trungowns four street frontages: Hai Ba Trung, Thi Sach, Dong Du and one side facing Me Linh Square. The land has been abandoned for many years due to the wrongdoings of former Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang in the wrongful transfer.

The entire land is fenced, the walls are covered with graffiti, part of the sidewalk is used as a parking lot, and the inside is overgrown with weeds. Last year, the Land Fund Development Center under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City took over this "golden" land for management.

About a kilometer away,9,000 m2 land at the corner of Nguyen Hue - Le Loi streetalso in a state of abandonment. The land plot used to belong to the old Tax Trade Center, the oldest and busiest commercial center in the city. After more than 130 years of existence, in 2016, the old building was demolished to build a commercial, service, entertainment, office, hotel center; connecting Metro Station No. 1... but so far it has not been implemented due to some difficulties.

The vacant lot is used as a storage area for shops around the area. Recently, District 1 proposed that the city use the land as a parking lot but has not yet implemented it. The land is convenient for parking for visitors to the Ho Chi Minh Monument Park, Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Bach Dang Wharf, etc.

Currently, these places attract about 2,000 visitors every day, and the number increases 2-3 times on weekends and holidays. However, the city center lacks parking spaces, so many people park on the sidewalk, causing traffic jams.

Nearby isproject landSJC Tower, formerly the ITC Commercial Center. The land is located in the middle of the quadrangle in the center of District 1 including: Le Thanh Ton, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Nguyen Trung Truc, Le Loi with a total area of ​​over 3,800 m2. According to the design, the tower is 208 m high, including 54 floors and 6 basements. When completed, the building will be the 3rd tallest in the city compared to existing buildings.

The project approved in 2007 had a total investment of more than 5,300 billion VND, expected to be completed after 4 years, but until now it is still abandoned, with no signs of construction.

Inside the project is just an empty lot, surrounded by a corrugated iron fence for parking. In 2015, Ho Chi Minh City issued an inspection decision to clarify the cause and responsibility of the units related to the delay in project implementation.

Located in Ben Thanh quadrangle,The Spirit of Saigon project(right corner) was expected to become a symbol, a new architectural highlight of Ho Chi Minh City. The project's prime location, with 4 street frontages on Pham Ngu Lao - Calmette - Le Thi Hong Gam - Pho Duc Chinh, started construction in 2017, consisting of two towers connected by a base block.

The 55-storey West Tower includes office space in the lower half and a hotel in the upper half. The 48-storey East Tower includes apartments, with services provided by the hotel. The initial investment capital was announced at 500 million USD, making it one of the "mega projects" in the real estate market.

The project has changed its name many times and the investor is related to the violations of Van Thinh Phat Group. Currently, the project has stopped construction for many months. The project is surrounded outside, construction materials are piled up, there is no one and the fate is currently unknown.

"Golden land" lot at 33 Nguyen Du and 34-36-42 Chu Manh Trinhwith an area of ​​nearly 6,300 m2, which was originally public land, was assigned by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to Vinafood 2 (100% state capital) for investment in 2015. The land then fell into private hands and showed signs of causing loss and damage to state assets.

Currently, most of the land is used for parking lots and there are still some houses. Last year, the city decided to reclaim two plots of land and hand them over to the City Land Fund Development Center to receive, manage and propose a plan for use.

Land lot number 8-12 Le Duanwith 4 facades, located opposite the headquarters of District 1 People's Committee and next to Diamond Plaza Shopping Center, which has been abandoned for many years, currently used as a parking lot. This location is expected to be the site of the Lavenue Crown project with 36 floors, including luxury apartments, a 5-star hotel and a shopping center.

For many years, the project has remained silent due to the violations of former Ho Chi Minh City Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Tai in transferring public land to the private sector.

Located in District 3,Phan Dinh Phung Stadium projecthas also been abandoned for many years. The land plot located at 4 frontages of Pasteur - Nguyen Dinh Chieu - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Vo Van Tan streets was approved for investment in the form of BT (build - transfer) since 2008, implemented two years later. The investor is a joint venture of Compensation and Clearance Joint Stock Corporation and Phat Dat Real Estate Development Joint Stock Company (Phat Dat Real Estate).

The project had an initial investment of VND988 billion. By 2013, the project cost had increased to VND1,352 billion, and three years later it had increased to VND1,953 billion, double the original cost. The project was delayed because the city had not yet selected a land location to pay the investor.

The 14,400 m2 land of the project is covered with grass and trees, partly used to store machinery, steel, construction materials... Outside the fence, part of it is used as a garbage collection area.

At the City People's Council meeting on the afternoon of December 7, Chairman of the People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that in the coming time, the city will continue to apply Resolution 98 and Conclusion 14 of the Politburo to propose temporarily exploiting prime land funds and unused public land and housing. After deducting management costs, the revenue will be added to the budget.