According to the Department of Construction, many beams, floors, and columns in the building show concrete flaking and exposed, rusting rebar. Railings are separating from the structure, posing a potential collapse risk. The inspection categorized the building as Class C, indicating that some primary structural elements no longer meet load-bearing requirements, with localized hazardous conditions present. Relocation is deemed necessary to prevent risks to residents.

Pham The Hien apartment building in Chanh Hung ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Tung

Pham The Hien apartment building in Chanh Hung ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Tung

The 4-story Pham The Hien apartment building, comprising three blocks (A, B, and C), was built in 1972 and currently houses approximately 450 households. Significant deterioration throughout the building is directly impacting residents' lives.

Plans call for the building's redevelopment into a 27- to 34-story mixed-use complex with a commercial center, spanning 12,400 m2. Initially slated for completion in 2021, the project has yet to commence.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has 474 apartment buildings with 573 blocks constructed before 1975 that have deteriorated. Of these, 16 are classified as Class C, 116 as Class D, and dozens have already been demolished or repurposed. The city aims to renovate or rebuild 467 old apartment buildings within the next 5 years, offering up to 10 billion VND in support for each project and partially covering the costs of mandatory evacuations.

Phuong Uyen