Amidst the scenic East Sea Park and My Khe Beach (Son Tra district), at the prime location of the Pham Van Dong – Vo Nguyen Giap intersection, the two towers CT1, CT2, CT3, and CT7 of the Da Nang Times Square project stand tall, having recently received confirmation from the Da Nang authorities to raise capital in the form of contributions, joint ventures, business partnerships, and joint operations by organizations, households, and individuals.
Towers CT1, CT2, CT3 and CT7 – Da Nang Times Square are being converted from condotels into apartments
The project officially commenced in 2017, with the towers ranging from 30 to 50 storeys tall and comprising thousands of condotel units, originally scheduled for completion in 2019, it was later put on hold.
In May 2023, the Da Nang City People’s Committee issued a decision permitting Kim Long Nam Joint Stock Company to convert the land use purpose of plots CT3 and CT7 for the CT3 and CT7 projects, and plots CT1 and CT2 for the CT1 and CT2 projects.
Accordingly, the Da Nang City authorities authorized Kim Long Nam Joint Stock Company to convert nearly 4,000 square meters of commercial service land in the aforementioned plots for residential purposes (construction of apartment buildings). The land use period extends to March 30, 2056.
The conversion of thousands of condotel units into apartment units in a coastal area already densely populated with locals and tourists raises concerns about infrastructure overload, both technical and social, potentially disrupting the overall coastal planning of Da Nang.
Nguyen Cuu Loan, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Da Nang Urban Planning and Development Association, emphasizes that projects permitted to convert from hotel apartments to apartment units must meet the requirements for social infrastructure and technical infrastructure aligned with the project scale and population size.
Without fulfilling these requirements, the conversion cannot proceed. In reality, this conversion is awaiting general regulations. While the initiative was introduced to incentivize investors, projects will not be permitted to convert if they fail to meet the criteria set by the government.
Da Nang Department of Construction’s Perspective
Responding to inquiries from Tien Phong reporters regarding the conversion of condotels to apartment units, the Da Nang Department of Construction stated: “The conversion of condotel functions into apartments is based on the project’s legal foundations, construction planning, and land regulations. The conversion must adhere to urban planning and ensure that social and technical infrastructure indicators comply with existing standards and norms.”
Specifically, for the CT1 and CT2 towers and CT3 and CT7 towers, a representative from the Da Nang Department of Construction confirmed that the functional conversion from condotels to apartments was thoroughly reviewed, and opinions were sought from relevant departments and agencies before reporting and obtaining approval from the City People’s Committee.
Accordingly, the investor initiated the necessary procedures to adjust the planning at various levels, ensuring adequate social infrastructure for the project, including green spaces, kindergartens, community halls, parking areas, and so on, in line with the overall planning and maintaining continuity across different periods.
The Da Nang Department of Construction reported that the City People’s Committee recently approved the zoning plan for the Han River and East Bank areas (Decision No. 2451/QD-UBND dated November 7, 2023).
The Department of Construction will review and assess the demand for conversion of condotels to apartment units to ensure alignment with the overall planning at various levels and report to the City People’s Committee for consideration and decision.
Nguyen Thanh
