Part of school building collapses in Tartu, repairs to cost several million euros extra

A part of a building at Miina Härma Gymnasium in Tartu, Estonia, unexpectedly collapsed in August. The affected wing, built in the 1960s, had in recent years been used for workshop classes. The collapse occurred while the school was already undergoing renovation of its engineering systems, work that began in early summer.

As a result, students will start the new school year not in their usual building but at two temporary locations. Tartu deputy mayor Martin Bek said the collapse was most likely caused by the construction work underway, though several factors contributed, including the originally low quality of the building for its time. A technical assessment is expected to determine the exact causes, with results due in September.

Considering a new, larger wing

Once the assessment is complete, the city will need to decide whether to restore the damaged wing as it was or build a new one. School leadership hopes for a full rebuild that addresses current needs. Principal Ene Tannberg said reconstructing it exactly as before would make little sense; instead, the wing should be made more functional and larger. She noted that first- and second-graders currently study in two shifts due to lack of space, the cafeteria is too small, additional rooms are needed for support specialists, and the building has no elevator.

The renovation was originally budgeted at six million euros, but repairing the collapsed section will require several million more. Since construction is now unavoidable, the city is also considering expanding the building — for example, adding a third floor instead of two, making use of the basement, and improving the connection between the building's two parts. The relevant municipal department must evaluate these proposals and their costs before presenting options to the city government.

The extra spending will likely require reallocating funds in next year's budget. The city does not plan to delay other already-scheduled school renovations, including completing work at Veeriku School, meaning savings will have to be found elsewhere.