Jinyuan Building urban renewal stalled for nearly 10 years despite 95% resident agreement

The urban renewal project for the Jinyuan Building in Taichung's central district, a 54-year-old structure once seen as a key indicator for the area's revitalization, remains stalled nearly a decade after its inception. Despite an exceptional 95% agreement rate among property owners, the project has yet to truly begin, with some floors lying vacant and the number of occupied units dwindling from 81 to just over a dozen.

Taichung's Urban Development Bureau clarified that the project is not "stuck" as perceived by some. The Urban Renewal Association was established in December 2017, and the city government has been providing guidance. While the renewal plan was submitted for review in May 2021 and approved by the committee in October of the same year, subsequent issues have caused delays.

Key among these are clarifications regarding the original building's floor area ratio (FAR) calculation and the re-issuance of completion drawings. The city government agreed in July 2025 to proceed based on architect-certified drawings and officially responded in July of this year, confirming the FAR principles would be determined by these drawings. The abolition of existing alleys, as required by local regulations, was also a factor, with a site inspection completed in June 2023. Changes to the association's name and scope in 2022 and urban design reviews in 2023 further extended the process.

For the residents of Jinyuan Building, the prolonged wait is a pressing concern. The building continues to age, and the number of residents has decreased significantly over the years. While the initial 95% agreement indicated strong consensus, the project now faces the stage of revising and resubmitting plans. The Urban Development Bureau stated that with the legal and technical ambiguities resolved, they will expedite the review process once the association submits the revised plan. The Jinyuan Building's renewal is now a critical test case for the feasibility of revitalizing old buildings in the central district.