Work to demolish old Tallinn Dairy Combine buildings starts in the capital
In August, the demolition of former industrial buildings began on a property located between Gonsiori, Jakobsoni and Kunderi streets in the Torupilli neighborhood of Tallinn. The site is being cleared to make way for a new residential quarter. According to the developer, some of the limestone buildings will be preserved.
"The detailed plan is currently being established, we have been granted a demolition permit, and we have started with these works," said Kajar Kruus, the director and board member of Astlanda's residential construction and real estate development division, which is developing the property.
According to Kruus, they are already working on the design, but they do not wish to share any sketches before the detailed plan is finalized.
Astlanda has owned the property since 2016.
The developer stated that the historic two- and three-story building on the Jakobsoni tänav frontage will be preserved, with up to two additional floors to be added. The chimney of the boiler house will also be retained. All other buildings on the property will be demolished.
Five buildings and a substation are planned for the property.
According to the detailed plan, the building line along Kunderi tänav is aligned with the street-facing facades of the neighboring buildings at Kunderi 17 and Kunderi 19. On Jakobsoni tänav, the building line will follow that of the existing building. Balconies extending beyond the building line are planned only for the street-facing facade of a new building located in the northwest corner of the area.
The corner of Kunderi and Jakobson streets will be opened up to the public as a small square in front of a potential eatery, which will highlight the preserved buildings, pay homage to valuable industrial architecture and create a cozy entrance to the other planned buildings, as described in the detailed plan.
Commercial spaces with separate street entrances are planned for the ground floors of the buildings along Kunderi tänav and near the intersection. The inner courtyard of the planned area is designed as a communal recreational space.
The most impactful building in terms of urban space, located along Jakobsoni tänav, is planned to have up to five stories. The building along Kunderi tänav is also planned for up to five stories, and the building along Gonsiori tänav (next to Kuhlbarsi 1) up to seven stories.
The taller building will be positioned behind the street-front buildings and will not dominate the street space. The buildings will include penthouse apartments. The planned area borders the Torupilli neighborhood's heritage-listed area. To ensure a smooth urban transition, the buildings adjacent to the heritage area are planned with setbacks.
Jakobson 14/Kunderi 15 was the site of Tallinn's yeast factory established in 1876. The building was originally constructed in 1880 and has undergone several modifications, including in 1921, 1930 and 1934.
In 1907, the building was converted into Tallinn's central dairy. The dairy was nationalized in 1917 and taken over by the Tallinn city government. In 1921, the Agricultural Cooperative Estonia purchased the dairy equipment and leased the complex.
During the Soviet era, the property housed the Tallinn Milk Combine until it moved to production facilities on Pärnu maantee in 1962. From 1968, the property was used by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of the Estonian SSR for training purposes.
The buildings also hosted several enterprises, such as the production units of Uku, Kodu and Salvo. In recent years, the premises have been used by various businesses, ranging from bars to car washes.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Marcus Turovski