A cluster of unfinished high-rise buildings in a Chinese city stood vacant for seven years before being demolished in just 45 seconds.

Footage from the demolition last month showed 14 buildings in Kunming, a city in southwestern China, collapsing in a controlled explosion. The demolition of a 15th high-rise took place three days later, according to local media reports.

15 buildings were demolished in Yunnan’s capital city in #Kunming on Aug. 27. It seems one building in the middle refuses to fall. pic.twitter.com/Q0vINR7KQm

— Amazing Puer (@AmazingPuer) August 28, 2021

These incomplete structures resulted from China’s aggressive urban development model, which often led to “ghost cities.” Local governments sold land and launched large-scale infrastructure projects to stimulate economic growth, while developers accrued significant debt, betting on the continuous rise in housing prices.

Some of these vacant areas eventually found occupants, but many struggled to complete construction or attract residents.

Construction of the Kunming complex, Sunshine City II, began in 2011. The original developer ran out of money and was taken over by another company in 2013, halting the project.

The buildings remained idle until November 2020, when a new company acquired the developer and its $3.6 million debt. Citing structural defects, the developer sought permission to demolish the buildings to make way for lower-rise apartments.

This video highlights the substandard construction quality. The builders cut costs by using inferior materials and resources.

The demolition on August 27 used 4.6 metric tons of explosives placed at around 85,000 detonation points, according to Kunming Daily. Over 5,300 residents were evacuated, with each household receiving approximately $23 in compensation.

Many local residents, including children, gathered to watch the demolition, as broadcasted by Chuncheng Evening News. “This is the most exciting moment,” a woman in the crowd said. “I have never seen buildings blown up before.”

“What a pity,” another onlooker commented. “It cost a lot of money to build those, and now they are being torn down.”

After the explosion, the area was enveloped in dust, and water was sprayed to settle it.

Sunshine City was among numerous stalled projects in Kunming. The capital of Yunnan province, Kunming, had 93 property developments left unfinished. Authorities aim to either demolish or revitalize them by next year.

Yang Yang, an assistant professor of real estate at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, explained that Chinese developers often pre-sell apartments to fund construction. When demand drops due to economic factors, developers may abandon their projects.

Yang anticipates fewer unfinished buildings in the future as the government imposes stricter borrowing limits on developers. However, resolving disputes from past projects may take time.

Buyers of unfinished projects have protested after losing their life savings. Many Chinese middle-class individuals incur heavy debts to invest in real estate, considering it a secure investment.

Some buyers had to live in these unfinished buildings while continuing to pay mortgages. Reports indicated that residents of another unfinished complex in Kunming, named “town of another way of happiness,” lived without basic utilities. They relied on solar power, candles, and climbed stairs to high-floor apartments daily.

In August last year, five years after the project was abandoned, a new developer resumed construction. Currently, residents are housed in a dormitory.

[Source: Vice.com]