Tallinn to buy former ministry building on Lai Street for school's needs
Tallinn's city council has decided to buy a former ministry building in the Old Town to give the Old Town Education College more space, settling payment by transferring five other properties to the state instead of cash.
On Thursday, September 17, Tallinn's city council decided to purchase a former Ministry of Rural Affairs building from the state-owned company Riigi Kinnisvara (RKAS), located at Lai Street 39/41 in the Old Town, in order to hand it over for use by the Old Town Education College (VHK). The move is meant to address the school's long-standing shortage of space.
At the same time, the city will also buy a property from RKAS at Liikuri Street 66 in Lasnamäe, where it plans to build a public sports ground.
No cash changes hands
Tallinn will not pay RKAS money for the two properties. Instead, the city will transfer five other properties to the state, four of which are located in Lasnamäe. The fifth is a building in the Old Town at Lai Street 17, currently home to the Museum of Applied Art and Design. According to the explanatory memorandum to the draft decision, the total value of the properties the city is acquiring and those it is handing over is equal — 6,178,500 euros — so the values will be offset against each other.
The agreed purchase price for the Lai Street 39/41 property is 5.703 million euros, below the market value indicated in expert assessments. An appraisal commissioned by the city's Property Department put the market value at 6.4 million euros, while an assessment commissioned by RKAS put it at 6.9 million euros. Tallinn's city government had already approved the purchase for VHK's needs on September 1.
Better learning conditions
Deputy Mayor Andrei Kante said the Lai Street building would support VHK's further development and significantly improve learning conditions at the school. He noted that VHK has consistently carried out important and valuable work introducing inclusive education, and that the new building would create even better conditions for this.
According to currently available information, VHK's music school clubs will remain in temporary premises, with a long-term solution to be determined later. The enclosed net area of the building at Lai Street 39/41 is about 7,750 square meters. Under the preliminary space plan, it is intended to house VHK's primary school along with smaller classes, some clubs and support services, for around 670 students.
