Chương 653: Chapter 653: It Looks Truly Impressive Like This
Eunmi Apartments.
In my previous life, this place was riddled with issues that prevented its redevelopment until my dying breath.
The biggest problem was the bankruptcy of Hyeonbo Group, the developer of Eunmi Apartments, and the unregistered land owned by Jang Tae-ho, who fled as soon as the company went under.
To collect the unpaid taxes owed by Jang Tae-ho, the tax authorities scoured his assets and discovered approximately 600 pyeong of unregistered land within Eunmi Apartments.
The tax authorities intended to register it under Jang Tae-ho's name and auction it off to recover the unpaid taxes.
However, the redevelopment committee and some residents filed lawsuits, dragging the process out frustratingly.
Moreover, the shops in Eunmi Apartments opposed the redevelopment as well.
The commercial area in front of Eunmi Apartments was a gold mine.
There was no reason for them to give up their shops just to be tied to the redevelopment of Eunmi Apartments.
With so many complicated issues intertwined, the redevelopment ultimately failed to proceed, and some even scoffed that it wouldn't happen even a hundred years later.
But this life is different.
When Hyeonbo Group went bankrupt during the IMF crisis, I managed to buy the commercial properties and the land within Eunmi Apartments that they owned.
Even during the foreign exchange crisis, when everyone was dumping real estate, I collected Eunmi Apartments one by one.
It took some time, but eventually, I acquired most of Eunmi Apartments, and through intimidation and persuasion, I bought out the last few holdouts to secure 100% ownership.
The only thing left was the shops.
However, they demanded an exorbitant sum, and ultimately, I decided to pursue a different approach.
"Thanks to you, things got easier. You've worked hard, Jinpyo."
Hong Jin-pyo, tied to me by bad karma in both past and present lives, smiled awkwardly beside me.
"What do you mean thanks to me? This was the easiest thing I've done."
Reunited in a redevelopment zone, Hong Jin-pyo was limping with a wrecked leg but still worked passionately in the National Evictees Council.
Redevelopment and reconstruction were businesses tangled in enormous profits.
There was no way civic groups wouldn't get involved in such ventures, especially with the scent of money in the air.
The National Evictees Council, which negotiated moderately, and the radical National Evictees Union both jumped into the redevelopment project.
Their main source of income came from expediting negotiations on behalf of the evictees and taking a substantial commission from the resulting compensation.
In redevelopment projects like Eunmi Apartments in Gangnam, opportunists rarely get involved.
So, I used Hong Jin-pyo to negotiate on behalf of the shop tenants in Eunmi Apartments.
"You've handled the tough work well. Without you, this could have dragged on for years."
The project already had all the necessary approvals from the government and Seoul City.
Rumors had circulated for some time, and the amounts demanded by the shop owners were utterly outrageous.
Hong Jin-pyo approached them, offering to take over the stagnant negotiations.
Ultimately authorized, he flitted between the shop tenants and the construction company, swiftly arriving at a mutually satisfactory outcome.
The shop owners agreed to compensation at double the current market rate, while the tenants accepted conditions recognizing their rights.
Unlike the chaotic illegal protests rampant in other redevelopment areas, this situation concluded quietly.
"It wasn't a big deal, really. If a developer and construction company cooperate like this, how could I not negotiate it?"
His casual statement belied the hard work he'd put in, which I already knew.
Appreciatively, I patted his shoulder a couple of times and stepped ahead.
It was a massive redevelopment project covering over 70,000 pyeong.
A project in the heart of Seoul, in Gangnam no less.
Some referred to it as the second development of Gangnam.
The media and public interest had already begun to gather around it.
Unlike typical redevelopment projects conducted by associations, this one was being exclusively managed by a real estate development company, and most of the buildings being constructed were set to be sold.
Hong Jin-pyo's contributions to successfully kicking off this significant project were unquestionably immense.
"Just keep it up. Or do you want to take a shot at being the head of the association?"
"…The association head?"
"I'll give you the redevelopment information in advance. I've already bought properties worth squatting on. I'll transfer ownership of those buildings to you."
Hong Jin-pyo, who was trailing slowly behind, nearly pressed up against me.
"What? Is that even possible?"
His surprised voice dropped to a whisper, as if afraid someone might overhear, which made me chuckle.
"What's difficult about it? Redevelopment and reconstruction are businesses that must ultimately get permits from the city. You become the head of the association, negotiate with the city, and secure the permits. After doing a few of those, there will be several redevelopment and reconstruction projects eager to recruit you."
The power of a redevelopment association head was more substantial than one might think.
It wasn't surprising that construction companies often slipped hefty cash sums to the heads of associations to secure contracts.
It was common for rival factions to yank the current heads out of power due to various interests.
I vaguely remembered someone once dubbed the 'God of Redevelopment.'
He'd make a splash when redevelopment permits were delayed or projects stagnated, successfully pushing through redevelopment plans and garnering massive profits.
Naturally, various associations sought to enlist him.
There was no reason Hong Jin-pyo couldn't do the same.
If Hong Jin-pyo became the head of the association, Jungwoo Construction would be the contractor, benefiting both parties.
"I've done things… would it really be okay? Don't you hate me?"
"Hate you? Really? When was that? And is that even for me to say? You should hate me and Myeong-su for sure."
"…I realized harboring resentment against an unbeatable opponent doesn't help my life at all."
I glanced at Hong Jin-pyo's bitter expression.
When I decided to use Hong Jin-pyo, I looked into his past and found he had lived quietly, cutting ties with everyone.
His father, who tried to imprison me, crumbled into ruin, and his mother abandoned both husband and son.
His family fell apart entirely.
That was the result of his grandfather's wrath after he nearly tortured me.
"It would be a lie to say I didn't dream of revenge. But not anymore. Climbing out of the sewer is already a difficult task for anyone. Plus… my leg is damaged."
At those words, I found myself stopping in my tracks.
Standing still, I looked at the leg I had ruined, prompting Hong Jin-pyo to awkwardly scratch his cheek.
"Why are you looking at me like that? It's all my fault. Back then, you warned me to leave Lee Myeong-su alone, but I didn't listen and kept tormenting him. I was so immature back then."
I nodded quietly at his words.
Of course, I felt remorse, but I had no regrets.
Things that are meant to happen will eventually happen, no matter what. Still, there were a few things I wanted to avoid as much as possible.
Myeong-su's ruined leg was one of them. I sacrificed one life to shield my own and save the people I cared about.
"Thanks. As you said, the past is the past, and I need to move forward into the future. So, how about it? Will you accept my proposal?"
"Of course. Who would be a fool to turn down a fully laid banquet?"
"Alright. Follow me. I'll introduce you to the head of Jungwoo Construction."
As expected, Hong Jin-pyo did not refuse my offer.
I took him to the construction site, which had already completed demolition and was in the midst of foundation work.
I headed toward the Jungwoo Construction office set up on one side of the site.
"Welcome, Boss."
Lee Sang-geun was waiting at the entrance with all the executives of Jungwoo Construction.
"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't summon you for nothing while you're busy?"
"Not at all. If you call, of course, I'm obliged to come."
"The Chairman's condition has improved as well. Let's go inside."
Lee Sang-geun led me and Hong Jin-pyo into the site office.
Though it was called an office, it was actually a large temporary building.
Since it was a massive project and not a consortium, I heard they built the temporary office larger than usual.
Inside the conference room, models of the planned apartment complex were displayed.
"It looks truly impressive like this."
They planned to demolish Eunmi Apartments and construct a premium residential complex in its place.
As soon as I thought of it, I commissioned various renowned architectural firms for designs.
In the middle of that, President Yoon Chang-ho freed the height restrictions for two buildings, leading to another redesign fiasco…
After numerous discussions, it was ultimately decided that the design proposal from Herzog & de Meuron, the architectural firm of Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, would be adopted.
With a long history, they were influential enough to win the Pritzker Prize in 2001.
I had no intention of building just any average apartments on the precious land I had finally secured.
I wanted a premium residential complex that would be among the finest in Korea or even Asia.
I envisioned a place that everyone dreams of but only a select few can afford.
To achieve this, I applied to change the use of some of the Eunmi Apartments land, which was categorized as a residential area, to commercial and quasi-residential.
"They approved the change of use, right?"
"Yes. Fortunately, Seoul quickly granted the change of use permit."
"That's a relief. With the government's support, things must have been easier to manage."
"However, civic groups are still protesting in front of the Jungwoo Construction headquarters."
As soon as we applied for the change of use, countless civic groups began protesting in front of Seoul City Hall.
The protests continued day after day, but the City of Seoul eventually approved the use change.
At the same time, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced relaxed policies on floor area ratios and building coverage for redevelopment and reconstruction.
In the midst of chaos, another redevelopment association in Daechi-dong that started construction two years earlier filed a lawsuit.
Although it was a hub of confusion, we did not officially respond.
Unofficially, we handed over cash to civic groups, and those that still refused to listen were pressured through force.
Most civic groups retreated at this point, but a few continued to protest.
"If things get tough, communicate with Heavenly Group to sort it out."
"No. I'll handle it myself."
Lee Sang-geun appeared keen to cut ties with Heavenly Group.
I couldn't tell if it was due to his ongoing interactions with Yoo Sung-jin or my order to operate from the shadows.
However, respecting Lee Sang-geun's opinions, I refrained from pressing further.
"Then please wrap things up well. I don't want this project to create any fuss."
"Understood. I'll take care of it."
After finishing my chat with Lee Sang-geun, I scrutinized the apartment model for quite some time.
In the center stood two tall towers, standing apart.
This project was set to become a landmark at 540m tall with 115 stories.
To construct these two towers, we reduced a project originally planned to have thirty-three buildings.
As the floor area ratio increased, the coverage ratio had to decrease.
No matter how much the regulations were relaxed, densely stacking tall buildings in a luxury residential complex wouldn't look good.
The plan involved placing the two 115-story towers in the center, while the other buildings would be spaced out and built to 49 stories, reaching a total height of 200m.
Excluding smaller units, most of the apartments would be larger than 48 pyeong.
"That sounds wonderful. If it's constructed this way, it would create an unprecedented premium residential complex in Seoul."
I smiled in satisfaction, and Lee Sang-geun followed suit.
Setting the model aside to start the meeting, everyone took their seats.
"Before we proceed… Chairman Lee, you're familiar with this friend, right?"
I pointed to the side where Hong Jin-pyo was sitting, trying to read the room.
Naturally, Lee Sang-geun's gaze shifted in that direction.
"This is Hong Jin-pyo, a key player in this project."
"I've received a report on him."
"He's also my classmate and knows this industry well. So I'm thinking of making him the specialized head of redevelopment and reconstruction projects in Seoul and the surrounding areas. Chairman Lee, your assistance would be appreciated. If he secures his position properly, it would be beneficial for Jungwoo Construction too."
With a casual gesture, Hong Jin-pyo awkwardly greeted Lee Sang-geun.
After calculating in his mind, Lee Sang-geun nodded, accepting the greeting.
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