Six blocks of Son Tra district have been abandoned for years. The project, approved by the authorities in September 2017, was developed by Da Nang Marina Company Ltd.
It covers an area of 49,000 square meters divided into 208 lots. Its design includes shops, villas, apartments and hotels.
So far, 111 shops have been built, but few households live there.
Nguyen Duc Lap, director of the Real Estate Research and Training Institute, said the stores were abandoned due to the recent downturn in the real estate market.
Many landlords tried to rent the units but were unable to find tenants, he added.
Most of the houses are empty and moss grows on their brick walls.
The empty structure invites criminals to seek refuge, said Cao Dinh Hai, chairman of Hien Dong district.
Some use the houses to store their stolen goods, while others use drugs there, he added.
“The police have recorded at least six cases of illegal acts there.”
The handle was stolen from this glass door and replaced with a metal bar. In other structures, glass was broken.
Garbage accumulated inside and outside homes. The authorities financed the cleanup of the area.
Of the 13 villas, only one is occupied by a family. The rest is filled with grass. Sales signs are on the rise, but there’s little interest in them.
Local authorities asked the developer to complete the project, but its representatives repeatedly refused to meet with authorities.
Other projects in Lien Chieu, Hai Chau and Cam Le districts have also become ghost towns.
In a project on Minh Mang Road, two blocks of shops were recently built but only five are occupied. Grass grows freely in the area.
In another project near Tien Son Bridge, waste is scattered.
Some use deserted sidewalks as parking spaces.
Lap said empty houses will only be filled once Da Nang’s real estate market recovers.
Abandoned shops in Da Nang city are being exploited by criminals. Video by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong
