“I am so overwhelmed by this. It is very special, it makes our city look beautiful,” Kebede Neri, a resident of Addis Ababa told CCTV Africa.

The apartments he spoke about, however, are only 70 percent completed, a video report said. While in the brick and mortar state, the final project — to be unveiled in April 2016 — gives locals enough hope of a transformed city. Chinese real estate firm Tsehay is behind the urban development project, which other residents are saying are too pricey. Tsehay Real Estate plans to build more units to serve Ethiopia’s affordable housing needs.