Music academy plans expansion on nearby property
Tallinn city officials plan to sell a property at the corner of Sakala and Tatari streets to the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, which wants to build a modern performing arts education center on the site.
The Tallinn City Government has asked the City Council to approve the sale of the property at Sakala 19/Tatari 10 to the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater (EMTA). The site is located across the street from the academy's main campus and could eventually house a new performing arts center linked to the existing academic complex.
EMTA Rector Ivari Ilja said the academy's theater education facilities need improvement, a concern also raised by MusiQuE, an independent European organization that evaluates and develops the quality of higher music education.
A review report completed two years ago highlighted a lack of space and an insufficient number of rehearsal rooms for contemporary performing arts master's programs.
"A modern learning environment would also give a significant boost to the development of music theater education," Ilja said. "Joint creative work by students from different disciplines and access to modern stage technologies would open the door to innovative productions that would enrich both the academy's creative life and Estonia's theater landscape."
Asked whether the project could involve relocating the academy's renowned drama school from its long-time home on Toompea, Ilja said the issue still requires careful consideration.
"The future location of theater education and the future use of the Toompea building must be considered as part of the academy's broader development strategy," Ilja said.
"Together with faculty members, experts in the field, and architects, we need to evaluate all possible solutions, taking into account educational needs, the suitability of buildings, investment requirements, the academy's financial resources, and long-term operating costs. The historical and cultural significance of the Toompea building is important to us."
According to Ilja, the academy has sought to expand next to its main building for nearly a decade.
Tallinn Deputy Mayor Tiit Terik said the building at Sakala 19 has stood vacant since 2019, while the Tatari 10 building remained in use until February this year. The 939-square-meter property contains two 19th-century buildings and a deteriorated warehouse structure. None of the buildings are protected as heritage sites.
"There are no restrictions on demolishing the building at the Sakala corner," Terik said, adding that the academy has already received guidance from the city on the scale of new development that could be built there.
Under Tallinn's comprehensive plan, the property is located in a mixed-use city center area and within an archaeologically sensitive zone, meaning any future development would require consideration of the area's historical layers and possible archaeological surveys.
Developers would also need to consider nearby heritage-listed buildings at Sakala 21 and 23, as well as valuable neighboring structures and a nearby area protected for its historic character.
According to the city planning department, the site could accommodate a stepped building with up to two underground floors and six above-ground stories. The final design would be determined through the detailed planning process.
The academy has submitted an application to acquire the property. The city intends to sell it directly to EMTA for €780,000, based on an independent market valuation.
If the Tallinn City Council approves the transaction, the city hopes to complete the sale before the end of the year.
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Editor: Karin Koppel, Argo Ideon
