After more than half a century of development, Vietnam’s oldest industrial park is being replanned and rebuilt into a multi-trillion-dong administrative center, promising to redefine the urban landscape of Dong Nai province.

Once considered the cradle of southern industry, formed in the 1960s and playing a pioneering role in the country’s industrialization, Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Park in Tran Bien ward, Dong Nai province, has now entered a period of profound transition. Many factories have fallen silent, and machinery is gradually being dismantled.

At its peak, the site gathered a wide range of manufacturing plants across sectors, providing jobs for tens of thousands of workers, contributing significantly to the local budget and driving growth across the southern key economic region.

On the ground today, numerous workshops have ceased operations. The dominant sounds are no longer production lines but the steady clatter of equipment being taken apart. Trucks and specialized dump vehicles move in and out continuously, relocating machinery and transporting materials. Many plots have already been handed over, awaiting conversion to new functions.

Nguyen Van Linh, a worker involved in dismantling the workshops, said his team has been working continuously in recent days to stay on schedule. Site clearance is being carried out in stages, ensuring dismantling proceeds while maintaining safety in surrounding areas.

“Many structures have existed for decades, so dismantling must be done carefully to guarantee safety,” Linh said.

Ground clearance at Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Park is now being accelerated, with more than 227 out of 236 hectares completed. Area 1 has reached 93 percent, Area 2 stands at 78 percent, and Area 3 at 57 percent. Numerous enterprises are urgently dismantling their factories, committing to hand over land in February and the first quarter of 2026.

Under the plan, the provincial political and administrative center will be constructed once the functional conversion of Bien Hoa 1 is finalized. Total investment is estimated at VND8,600 billion (US$345 million), including around VND6,800 billion (US$273 million) for the administrative complex, VND576 billion (US$23 million) for a conference center, and more than VND1,200 billion (US$48 million) for infrastructure and a public square.

According to the provincial Department of Construction, the number of officials, civil servants and employees working in the central complex is expected to total around 4,200, including affiliated public service units.

Regarding architectural design, the consulting unit has proposed an idea inspired by terraced rice fields, comprising three buildings - two five-story blocks and one ten-story tower. Based on projected staffing, the consultant has presented two master plan options: the first designed for 4,200 people; the second for about 3,700 people, excluding certain public service units and specialized associations from relocating to the site.

The Dong Nai provincial People’s Committee said accelerating site clearance will create favorable conditions to soon implement a new urban, commercial and political-administrative complex. Authorities will also clearly define planning boundaries, detail the allocated areas for each agency, and review options for functional relocation to ensure alignment.

Hoang Anh