Historic building faces wrecking ball

TALLINN - The landmark building in central Tallinn that has been the main post office for the city for three decades was finally sold to the Swedish company Promethean for 128 million kroons (8.2 million euros), reports Eesti Paevaleht. Swedish Promethean, the new owner of the building that is located right in the heart of Tallinn, will now probably start holding negotiations with the City of Tallinn to achieve a change in the city development plans in order to tear the building down.

“Nothing will change about the post office in the next five years,” said Promethean owner Altenreval’s spokesperson Urve Lihtmaa, after the sale-purchase contract was signed. “Then everything depends on development of projects with the city.”
The current development plan allows increasing the height of the building by 9 meters, but does not allow for the building to be torn down. In order to get permission to demolish it, the developers simply have to submit a new project to the city, which would most likely be approved. Lihtmaa was unable to say what the new owner would do with the building during the planning and project design stages. Estonian postal company Eesti Post will remain its leaseholder, at least for a while, but will eventually vacate the premises.

The management of Eesti Post decided already in 2008 that the colossal building, that was designed by Raine Karp and built for the 1980 Moscow Olympic games, is not necessary for the company and declared its sale for 200 million kroons. The first bidding was a failure, then the price was lowered.