Underground parking project in Tao Dan Park, District 1 has been restarted after 9-year delay.
Local authorities have given construction firm Dong Duong Group a second permission to build an underground parking lot at the Tao Dan Park, District 1.
In 2010, Dong Duong Group had obtained the green light to build the underground parking lot, which was planned to cover more than 5,300 square meters, and required an estimated investment of over US$882 billion. The parking lot would have seven basements and three floors, which can accommodate 878 autos and 400 motorbikes.
The municipal government has asked the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to propose solutions to help the investor continue the project’s execution. Meanwhile, the Department of Planning and Architecture will coordinate with the relevant departments and agencies to review the design for the project, submitted by Dong Duong on May 28.
Additionally, the District 1 government will be required to direct the district’s Compensation and Site Clearance Board to work out a compensation and site clearance plan for the project.
Since the project failed to begin for a long time, in 2018, HCMC’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment proposed that the city retrieves the land allocated for the project.
Thus, the reason for authorities granting a second permission is not clear in this context.
HCMC authorities in the latest permission demands that Dong Duong starts construction by next June at the latest and finish it by the end of 2022. Otherwise, the city will take the project back, the local media reported.
In addition to the underground parking lot, the investor will restore the Trong Dong outdoor stage and hand it over to competent agencies.
A view of the Trong Dong outdoor stage, where an underground parking lot has long been planned. Work on the project has been allowed to continue, instead of being stopped. (Photo: TNO)
Late last year, the project had been among the 180 projects listed for suspension by the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment. According to the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the project had fallen behind schedule due to the investor’s poor performance or lack of capital.
However, the Dong Duong Group had argued that the city government had allowed it to lease land to develop the project.
The group had completed the required administrative procedures and had signed a contract with the District 1 Compensation and Site Clearance Board. In addition, the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment had never worked with the company or sent it any letters questioning why the project had been moving slowly, the company stated.
The group said it had arranged the capital for the project as well.
As per the plan, the city center will get four underground parking lots, which can accommodate 6,300 cars and 4,000 motorcycles. However, none of the projects has been completed yet.
HCMC Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong recently asked the relevant agencies to cancel a US$110-million underground parking lot at the Le Van Tam Park in District 1. Work on the project had started in 2010, but had stopped shortly afterwards.
The project, with a total floor area of over 100,000 square meters, was designed to accommodate more than 2,000 motorbikes, 1,250 autos, along with 28 buses and trucks.
Previously, the city authorities had planned four underground parking spaces in the downtown Districts 1 and 3 that would together accommodate 6,300 cars and 4,000 motorbikes. However, none of these have been carried out so far.
Earlier this month, HCMC authorties terminated an underground parking project in Le Van Tam Park, District 1 as many important requirements were not finalized, including applying for construction permits and evaluating technical designs.
