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Inha University, local apartment owners reach deal on new dormitory

Published: 24 Jan. 2025, 14:59

Members of emergency planning committee formed to oppose Inha University's construction of new dormitory stage a rally. [YONHAP]

Inha University has reached an agreement with local apartment owners and merchants to build a new university dormitory.

The new dormitory, named Happy Dormitory, will be a 15-story building capable of housing 1,794 students.

The agreement was finalized at a signing ceremony attended by the university representatives and members of an emergency planning committee formed to oppose the dormitory construction, the Incheon City Government said on Friday.

Early last year, the university announced plans to build a new dormitory, citing a “serious lack of spaces to accommodate student demand and the aging of current dormitories.”

Many university students and alumni, including the student body and graduates' association, supported the proposal due to concerns about "apartment fraud and financial burdens.”

The project, however, faced opposition from local studio apartment owners and merchants, who argued that the construction of a new dormitory would “increase the vacancy rate of nearby studio apartments and reduce visits to local shops and restaurants.”

To voice their concerns, they formed an emergency planning committee and staged prolonged rallies in front of Incheon City Hall.

Incheon City Government actively intervened to mediate, facilitating discussions with committee officials.

After prolonged talks, an agreement was reached to allow the university to construct the new dormitory while closing the existing Dormitory 1, which will be repurposed to contribute to community development, according to the city government.

Construction of the new dormitory is set to begin by May at the latest, with a targeted opening date of March 2027.

Once completed, the university’s dormitory capacity will increase from 12.6 percent to 16.7 percent, though it will still fall short of the national average dormitory occupancy rate of 23.5 percent.

“We are grateful to the local community and the emergency planning committee staffers for agreeing on the plan,” said Kwon Young-mok, the secretary general of Inha University. “We will communicate with the local community to faithfully execute the plan.”

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]