Eurowindow Nghe An Tower: Efforts of local authorities and investors

(Baonghean.vn) - The Eurowindow Tower construction project is one of the results from the investment promotion conference that Nghe An province organizes every year. The completed tower will become a new highlight of Vinh city.

In recent years, Nghe An has made many efforts to attract foreign and domestic investors to implement projects, especially key projects. Thanks to that, many large projects have been invested in Nghe An, creating highlights and impetus for Nghe An's development, including the Eurowindow Tower Project in Hong Son Ward, Vinh City.

"Where there is good land, there are birds of prey"

In order to implement the approved planning, create a highlight of modern architectural landscape, worthy of a type I urban area, and soon turn Vinh city into a cultural center of the North Central region according to Decision No. 239/2005/QD-TTg dated September 30, 2005 of the Prime Minister, at the Investment Promotion Conference in Nghe An in 2009, the Project of Trade Center, Office for rent and Luxury Apartment (at the location of the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward) was included in the province's investment calling program.

Vicentra Tower invested and built by Vinh Trade Center Joint Stock Company was put into use in 2010. Photo: PV

Within the framework of the Conference (February 7, 2009), after highly appreciating the capacity of the investor who has effectively invested in the Vicentra Trade Center, Luxury Apartments and Townhouses Project (a project consisting of a 20-storey tower with a 4-storey base, leased by the world's leading retail group BigC for 50 years as the largest and most modern Trade Center in Vinh city), the Provincial People's Committee signed an agreement: "Nghe An Provincial People's Committee agrees in principle to assign Vinh Trade Center Joint Stock Company to continue investing in expanding the Vinh Trade Center project on the land at the corner of Vinh market and Tran Phu street (opposite the completed Vicentra tower)".

This record states: "Nghe An Provincial People's Committee commits to: coordinate with the investor to work with ministries, branches and central authorities to complete the project investment licensing procedures; have investment incentive policies for the project according to regulations".

The investment promotion conference is an annual activity to promote and attract investment in Nghe An province. Through 8 meetings with investors since 2009, Nghe An has attracted 804 investment projects, including 758 domestic investment projects and 46 foreign direct investment projects with a total registered capital of more than 261,000 billion VND. Photo: Document.

Also at this Conference, 33 investment agreements were signed, including 1 agreement between the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the Alliance of 16 Groups and General Corporations on investment in Nghe An and commitment to creating a favorable investment environment for investors when investing in Nghe An.

Immediately after the Conference, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 564/QD.UBND.DT dated February 25, 2009 assigning specific tasks to relevant departments, localities and units to monitor, urge, guide procedures and remove obstacles for investors to implement projects that have signed commitments.

On January 8, 2010, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 43/QD-UBND-CN on "Permitting the survey to select the location for the project construction planning". On November 12, 2010, the Provincial People's Committee approved the detailed construction planning of the project of a commercial center, office for rent and luxury apartments in Hong Son ward, Vinh city in Decision No. 5504/QD.UBND-CN.

Decision No. 43 clearly states: "Investors are only allowed to invest in construction of works according to this plan after relevant agencies have completed site clearance and have space to move the headquarters of the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward."

Regarding the land of the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward, which is the location of Party agencies, government, associations and the Hong Son Ward Health Station, it is old and seriously degraded. Therefore, at the 8th Party Congress, term 2010-2015 (May 25, 2010), the Hong Son Ward Party Committee issued a Resolution emphasizing the "completion of the construction of the ward's office" to contribute to "building Hong Son Ward to develop richly, civilized, actively contributing to building Vinh City to soon become the economic and cultural center of the province and the North Central region".

Perspective of Eurowindow tower. Photo: PV

In Official Dispatch No. 8190/UBND-CN, sent to the Prime Minister "on handling assets to implement the project according to the planning" of the Provincial People's Committee dated December 23, 2011, it also clearly stated: "The headquarters of the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward, Vinh City currently has an area of ​​3,046.7 square meters, assigned by the State in 1975, including a 2-storey main office building, the rest are level 4 houses, most of which were built from 1984-1987, after a period of use, they have now degraded and do not meet the requirements.

Land area before implementing the Eurowindow Tower project.

According to the approved construction plan of Hong Son ward, the ward People's Committee headquarters will be relocated to a more suitable location; at the same time, the current location is planned to build a multi-functional high-rise building to both promote the advantages of the land and create a highlight of the urban landscape in the area identified as the commercial center of Vinh city; the construction plan has been announced".

On May 15, 2012, the Government Office issued Document No. 3365/VPCP to the People's Committee of Nghe An province "on the sale of assets to implement the Project according to the planning" stating that "The People's Committee of Nghe An province shall handle the assets on the land and decide to allocate land to the investor to implement the project... at No. 2 Tran Phu Street, Hong Son Ward, Vinh City (headquarters of the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward) according to the approved planning, according to the provisions of the law on land and the law on management and use of state assets".

Responsibility and results

Based on the directive documents from the Government, the Provincial People's Committee, and relevant departments and branches have organized auctions and liquidated related assets on the land where the project will be implemented in accordance with the provisions of law. However, the process of implementing the site clearance has encountered difficulties and obstacles: The resettlement procedures for Viet Cuong Cooperative (where the new office of the ward will be built) and the location for the relocation and construction of the medical station of Hong Son ward have not been completed...

During this process, Vinh Trade Center Joint Stock Company has repeatedly sent documents "requesting the Provincial People's Committee, City People's Committee and Hong Son Ward People's Committee to consider and agree on the policy of moving the office of Hong Son Ward People's Committee to a new location so that the company has the conditions to start implementing the project".

Fulfilling its commitment to investors, the Provincial People's Committee has held meetings with relevant parties to speed up the implementation progress of the Eurowindow Nghe An Tower project.

In Notice No. 717/UBND-TB concluding the working session of the relevant parties, dated November 7, 2015, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee assigned: "Vinh City People's Committee is responsible for directing all contents related to site clearance to ensure the project is implemented on schedule, handing over the entire site to the investor before December 25, 2015. Assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Finance to coordinate and advise the Provincial Land Auction Council to determine land prices and land use fees payable for the project. Vinh Trade Center Investment Joint Stock Company closely coordinates with Vinh City People's Committee, Hong Son Ward People's Committee in all work to implement compensation for site clearance and construction, prepare funding sources to pay land use fees...

In order to carry out the assigned tasks, the opinions of the members of the Provincial Land Valuation Council on March 30, 2016, the price proposed by the Southern Information and Valuation Joint Stock Company in Certificate 138, dated March 29, 2016 and based on the actual situation, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Finance have issued documents 1489/STNMT and 704/STC, sent to the Provincial People's Committee to propose the average land price of the Eurowindow Tower project in Hong Son ward, Vinh city is 43,120,000 VND/m2.

On that basis, on April 7, 2016, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 249/QD-UBND.DC, deciding to "approve the average land price of the land area implementing the Eurowindow Nghe An tower project, in Hong Son ward, Vinh city is 43,120,000 VND/m2".

On September 8, 2016, Nghe An Tax Department issued Document No. 3320/CT confirming the financial obligations for the Project of constructing residential and high-rise apartment buildings under the Eurowindow Tower Project, which have completed the obligations to pay land use fees, registration fees and other taxes on this project. Accordingly, with the area of ​​residential land allocated with land use fees of 1,923.6m2, land price of 43,120,000 VND/m2, Vinh Trade Center Investment Joint Stock Company has paid 82,945,632,000 VND for land use fees.

The headquarters of the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward has been invested in a new, modern and spacious construction and has been put into use. Next to it is the perspective of the Eurowindow Tower when completed, so it can be said that this is a "2 in 1" project, changing the appearance of Hong Son Ward, Vinh City.

In addition to fulfilling financial obligations as prescribed, to facilitate units and individuals in clearing land and stabilizing new workplaces, Vinh Trade Center Joint Stock Company has supported the rent for the new headquarters for the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward during the time waiting for the construction of the new headquarters with 2,070,000,000 VND; supported Viet Cuong Cooperative with 4,500,000,000 VND; compensated for site clearance for related households and individuals with 157,730,000 VND; supported companies with kiosks on project land to move with 230,847,600 VND...

Thus, the construction of Eurowindows Tower (in Hong Son Ward, Vinh City) is a legitimate desire of the locality to create a spacious face for Vinh City; and the investor has responded to the call of the Provincial People's Committee to invest in this project. During the implementation process, the investor has properly performed its obligations according to the law, although there were times when there were difficulties and problems in site clearance, causing the project to start in 2009 but not start until 2016.

Together with the Vicentra tower, after the completion of the Eurowindow tower project (under construction across the street), it will create a "twin tower" in this area. Photo: PV

Up to now, from the tax payment and support from Vinh Trade Center Joint Stock Company, Hong Son Ward People's Committee has invested in building a new, spacious and modern headquarters and has put it into use; the ward's medical station is also under construction. At the old land, the project owner is also constructing the 20-storey Eurowindow tower, expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

Together with the opposite commercial center tower, put into use since 2010, this place will create a highlight of the modern urban landscape of Vinh City.

PV Group