Liberty Manor sold for several times more than the opening bid
The Liberty Manor in Rocca al Mare, Tallinn, which the Office of the President once planned to convert into the president's residence, has found a new owner in a public auction organized by State Real Estate Ltd (RKAS). The property was sold for nearly three times its starting price.
RKAS put the 3.6-hectare seafront property up for auction with a starting price of €890,000.
Five interested parties participated in the auction, each required to pay a deposit of €89,000. The bidders continuously outbid one another, extending the auction several times beyond its original 2 p.m. deadline. The auction finally concluded after 4:30 p.m. when the bidders' energy waned and the winner secured the property for €2.62 million, excluding VAT.
The estate features seven buildings, as well as the foundation of the historic Vana-Liberty building. While the structures have stood vacant for decades, the area was home to a pioneer camp during the Soviet era.
Liberty summer manor was first marked on a map dating back to 1783. The summer manor complex belonged to the Koch family and the area includes preserved heritage sites such as Egon Koch's summer villa, the foundation of Egbert Koch's villa and the Daheim house, along with several auxiliary buildings and other structures.
Egon Koch's summer villa is a two-story wooden building with an attic floor and a cellar.
The villa has remained very well-preserved in its authentic form, with only the windows on the upper floor altered during the Soviet period. The grooved walls, unique coffered ceiling and paneled sliding doors are all in excellent condition.
Only the foundation of Egbert Koch's summer villa remains. The new owner is required to restore the building at its original location, in its original volume and appearance, no later than the end of 2027. The restoration must adhere to the specific requirements set by heritage conservation authorities.
The Daheim house is a log house with a high limestone foundation, where the original fireplace and much of the interior finishes have been preserved.
The Liberty complex was separated from the Estonian Open Air Museum's property in 2013 and transferred to RKAS, as there were plans to develop it into the president's residence. The residence was also intended to host foreign dignitaries.
The renovation of the complex was delayed due to failed public procurement processes. Initially, the design tender stalled, followed by the collapse of the construction tender, as all submitted bids exceeded the €4.4 million budget allocated for the project.
Because of these delays, the Office of the President was unable to make a decision on the construction of the residence during Toomas Hendrik Ilves' presidency, leaving the decision to his successor, President Kersti Kaljulaid.
However, Kaljulaid did not deem the project necessary and the current president, Alar Karis, has also not expressed interest in pursuing it.
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Editor: Karin Koppel, Marcus Turovski