Thu Thiem Eco Smart City is one of the major riverside developments the Thu Thiem new Urban Area in Ho Chi Minh City. With its prime location opposite District 1, this project is set to become a prominent landmark of the Saigon River waterfront.
The project is being developed by the Lotte Group from South Korea, and originally the title of the project was Lotte Eco Smart City.
Initially proposed in 2007, the project has been mired in delays and controversies. One of the major causes of the delay has been to do with land clearance of the proposed development area. While most of the former Thu Thiem village has been cleared, the government could not come to an agreement with the Thu Thiem Parish Church. The church compound sits on the riverfront section of the plots designated for the Lotte development area.
[Thu Thiem Church and the Empire City site under construction.]
After nearly a decade of deadlock, the government decided that the church would stay. With this news, Lotte’s previous plan had to be redrawn. The land allocated to Lotte was reduced from 10 lots down to 6, with the 4 reduced lots being the riverfront land.
Delays were further compounded by confusion over the planning map of Thu Thiem, which had apparently gone missing.
Construction for Thu Thiem Eco Smart City broke ground on 2 September 2022, attended by Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin.
Official Websites
Lotte Construction Management Division
Thu Thiem Eco Smart City Location
[Map of Thu Thiem Eco Smart City.]
Address: 2-5 Dai Lo Vong Cung, Thu Thiem, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.
Transport and pedestrian access
Thu Thiem Eco Smart City will be the site of a metro station for the future Line 2 extension from Ben Thanh to Thu Thiem Central Station. The northern boundary of the site is Thu Thiem Square, where a new pedestrian bridge will connect District 1. This central location will make it one of the most sought-after addresses in the city.
Photos
2022
Photos from 12 June 2022.
News Archive
2025
Authorities vow to iron out persistent delays – [03/01/25]
“Ho Chi Minh City leaders in particular have spent the last few months attempting to unclog delayed ventures. Lotte Group’s billion-dollar Lotte Eco Smart City Thu Thiem has been at a standstill for two years, but Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee believes it to be an “outstanding case” which needs to be resolved immediately.
“It is necessary to soon remove obstacles for large-scale projects, such as Lotte’s, to both increase the city budget and the supply of new products to the market,” committee Chairman Phan Van Mai said during a regular meeting held in October.
It was agreed that Lotte Group will have to pay around $635 million in land use fees in the fourth quarter as estimated by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment”
2024
Lotte Group’s land use fees for HCMC project estimated at $633 mln – [24/10/24]
“South Korea’s Lotte Group will have to pay VND16 trillion ($633.3 million) in land use fees in the fourth quarter of 2024 as estimated by the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DoNRE).”
HCMC okays design for commercial center within $900 mln Lotte project – [12/09/24]
“Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Planning and Architecture has approved the design for a commercial center within South Korean conglomerate Lotte’s $900-million Thu Thiem Eco Smart City project.”
[Winning design for a commercial center within the Lotte Eco Smart City under construction in Thu Thiem urban area, Thu Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture.]
Lotte Group resume $900 million Eco Smart City project in Vietnam next month – [03/07/24]
2022
Lotte makes fresh Vietnam start after China exit and ‘5 lost years’ – [07/09/22]
“$900m shopping center paves way for No. 3 market after South Korea and Japan.”
Lotte to invest $900 mn in Vietnam smart city project – [05/09/22]
“Lotte on Sunday unveiled a project to build a 60-story shopping mall, offices and others on 50,000 square meters of land in Ho Chi Minh City with the group’s smart technologies and retail know-how.”
[Lotte’s planned smart city in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (File photo, Courtesy of Lotte).]
Lotte breaks ground on Eco Smart City project in Vietnam – [04/09/22]
“The Thu Thiem Eco Smart City is a $900-million project that involves constructing a complex of buildings, including a shopping mall, multiple office spaces, a hotel, a cinema and apartment buildings in Ho Chi Minh City.”
Lotte Group to build eco smart city, logistics center in Vietnam – [04/09/22]
“Under the $900 million Thu Tiem Eco Smart City project, the company plans to construct a 60-story building, with another five floors underground, comprising a shopping mall, cinema, office space, hotel, residences and apartments in Ho Chi Minh City.”
S.Korea’s Lotte Group kicks off $857mn complex project in Ho Chi Minh City – [03/09/22]
“South Korean multinational conglomerate Lotte Group has broken ground for its Lotte Eco Smart City smart complex project in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Ho Chi Minh City, with an investment of over US$857 million.”
$856-mln Korean-invested complex breaks ground in HCMC urban area – [02/09/22]
Lotte’s Shin Dong-bin visiting Vietnam to attend groundbreaking – [22/08/22]
“Shin, who is currently in Japan, will depart for Vietnam at the end of this month to attend a groundbreaking ceremony set for Sept. 2. The Thu Thiem Eco Smart City project is led by Lotte E&C in Ho Chi Minh City.”
Lotte E&C to successfully complete Thu Thiem Eco-Smart City project in Vietnam – [27/06/22]
“Will build a smart complex worth about US$900 million in the Thu Thiem District of Ho Chi Minh City.”
Lotte E&C promotes 1 trillion won worth of development project in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – [16/05/22]
“Lotte Engineering & Construction (Lotte E&C), South Korea’s construction engineering company, announced today that it will promote the “Thu Thiem Eco-Smart City Project” in cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.”
2021
Thu Thiem Eco Smart City expected to become prominent landmark of Asia – [03/03/21]
“Lotte Properties Thu Thiem’s leadership is committed to building the Thu Thiem Eco Smart City project into a prominent landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and Asia, Lee Kang Woo, General Manager of Lotte Properties Thu Thiem, told Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung at a meeting on March 3 in Hanoi.”
2020
Go-ahead given for Lotte eco-smart city – [29/07/20]
“The green light has been given for the continuation of a $900-million eco-smart city invested by a consortium of Lotte Group affiliates, which had been delayed for more than three years.”
2019
HCMC church recognized as historic relic – [29/12/19]
“Ho Chi Minh City authorities have conferred the status of historic relic on the Congregation of the Holy Cross Lovers and Thu Thiem Church in District 2.”
Ho Chi Minh City green-lights Lotte Eco-smart City – [16/09/19]
Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee will propose Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to permit Korea’s Lotte Group to continue its Eco-smart City located in Thu Thiem New Urban Area.
In 2018, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee asked for the PM’s permission to scale down Lotte’s Eco-smart City from 10 to six land plots, citing difficulties in site clearance and compensation as grounds.
2018
[An earlier version of the final design of Thu Thiem Eco Smart City.]
Lotte promises best places to live in Viet Nam – [05/12/18]
“The smart city projects will improve people’s living standards by providing them with access to spearhead technologies including Internet of Things (IoT), open platforms, cloud computing and environmental friendliness”.
Sisters in Vietnam refuse government order to turn over convent lands – [04/06/18]
Korea’s Lotte to build $884mn complex in Ho Chi Minh City this year – [18/04/18]
– “Lotte wants to construct an iconic tower in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, the CEO asserted, adding that the smart complex would boast a modern design and function with smart and cutting-edge technology.”
– “The construction will take approximately 72 months to complete.” – 6 years.
2017
[A version of Lotte Eco Smart City with 10 lots.]
Lotte to develop $885mn smart city in Saigon – [26/07/17]
Lotte signs contract to build $884 million Eco-Smart City – [26/07/17]
“The 74,000-square metre site will incorporate a shopping mall, offices, hotels, serviced residences, and apartments. The 11 residential towers, 15-40 storeys each, covering 50,000sq.m, will be built first.”
2016
$2.2 billion Thu Thiem Eco Smart City project to kick off in July – [18/04/16]
“The construction of the $2.2 billion Thu Thiem Eco Smart City project in Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Thiem New Urban Area, which is invested in by a joint venture between Lotte Group’s subsidiaries and Japanese enterprises, is expected to start in July”.
2015
$2bn Thu Thiem Eco Smart City set to break ground this year – [08/07/15]
Lotte, Japanese partners to develop $2bn Eco Smart City in Vietnam – [05/03/15]
2009
Diocese will move neither the church, nor the sisters of Thu Thiem – [18/08/09]
2007
Lotte Group lifts curtain on $2bn development – [13/11/07]
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