The ugly thing is "Landmark"...The first step of remodeling Cheongju Shade Tower

[Anchor]
A high-rise building that had been neglected as a hideous object in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, is preparing to be reborn as a local landmark through a remodeling project.

Cheongju-si, which started the architectural design contest, plans to complete it next year with the aim of a new complex cultural and youth start-up space.

I'm reporter Sung Hong-kyu of HCN Chungbuk Broadcasting.

[Reporter]
The light and shade tower was handed over to Cheongju City in June 2023.The two-story, 13-story building,

, has long been considered a nuisance among local residents, leaving it unattended without finding a way to utilize it.

The city of Cheongju has planned to transform this building into a cultural complex for citizens.

Following the launch of the architectural design contest, construction will begin at the end of this year and open to citizens in the second half of next year.

The remodeling will take place at the first and second basement floors and the sky garden on the first floor above the ground. It is also the exterior of the upper floor of the tower.With an area of 7,625 square meters per year

, this building will essentially include a youth start-up support space and a child-specific space.

Cultural and welfare facilities for ordinary citizens were freely proposed by the design company.

[Kim Soon-hee / Geumcheon-dong, Cheongju-si, North Chungcheong-do: I hope this building will be a place where people can come in and out of Cheongju, where many people can come in and out.]

Cheongju City expects that the construction cost of 12.5 billion won will not be reflected in this year's supplementary budget or next year's main budget as the design service cost has been passed.

[Kim Jae-hyung / Director of Park Creation Division, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do: Since the budget can be reduced or increased, we plan to calculate or supplement the budget at that time according to the results of the design.]

Attention is focusing on whether it can be reborn as a long-neglected shading tower, a new landmark in the region and a space to revitalize citizens.

I'm Sung Hong Kyu of HCN News.

Reporter for shooting
: Kim Gap-doo