3 of 7 colonial-era villas at 1 Ly Thai To site in Ho Chi Minh City require demolition: authorities

The information was outlined in a recent proposal from the Party Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, signed by standing deputy secretary Nguyen Loc Ha and submitted to the Standing Board of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.

The proposal concerns the policy for implementing a new public project at the location to build a park and a memorial to COVID-19 victims.

The land parcel at 1 Ly Thai To is located in a prime area at the heart of the city, bordered by three major streets of Ly Thai To, Hung Vuong, and Tran Binh Trong.

It is also adjacent to the extended section of metro line No. 1 (from Ben Thanh Market to the An Ha depot) and the planned metro line No. 3, which is expected to include three stations bordering the site.

Authorities said the early redevelopment and utilization of the land parcel are therefore urgent.

Based on the assessment of the city's villa classification council, all seven villas fall under Group 2.

However, structural inspections show that three of the villas, numbered 2, 3 and 4, exhibit extensive cracking in load-bearing components, water infiltration into concrete structures, mold growth, and concrete spalling.

The buildings show clear signs of long-term corrosion and material degradation, leading to significant loss of structural integrity.

Meanwhile, the four remaining villas, numbered 1, 5, 6 and 7, do not show damage that would compromise their primary load-bearing systems.

The Party Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has proposed demolishing the three severely degraded villas and preserving the remaining four as part of the redevelopment plan for the 1 Ly Thai To site.

The proposal also includes widening the section of Tran Binh Trong Street between Ly Thai To and Hung Vuong to a total width of 23 meters, funded by the municipal budget.

Ho Chi Minh City is aiming to complete a new park and a memorial dedicated to COVID-19 victims by the Lunar New Year of 2026.

Speaking to the press on Monday, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong said the Department of Construction had submitted its official assessment and classification of the seven villas.

The findings reaffirm that villas 2, 3, and 4 show severe structural damage, including widespread cracking, water infiltration, mold and concrete spalling, confirming that the buildings have been significantly degraded.

The other four villas remain structurally stable.

The city government has approved demolishing the three compromised villas and preserving the four remaining structures at the 1 Ly Thai To site.

Earlier, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee directed relevant agencies to hand over the site to Sun Group no later than October 31 so the company could begin the construction as scheduled.