Developer plans Tallinn housing district on former exhibition centre site

ERR reports that demolition has begun at the Eesti Näitused exhibition centre on Pirita Road in Tallinn, with the developer hoping to start building a residential district on the nearly seven-hectare site in 2028.

Large exhibitions will instead be held at venues already used as alternatives, including Unibet Arena and Kultuurikatel. Eesti Näitused will continue organising exhibitions at other locations, including Unibet Arena.

The exhibition centre was built on Pirita Road during the Soviet era. Its fifth and final pavilion was completed in 1997, expanding the exhibition space to 11,000 square metres.

The centre’s peak came in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Exhibition organiser Reet Sink recalled that 28 fairs were planned in 1999 and 2000, with the largest events, Motorex and Eesti Ehitab, each attracting about 35,000 visitors.

Sink said fairs remained important for stimulating the economy, although their role had changed for both companies and visitors because businesses now had other ways to reach customers, including the internet.

Demolition began last week and is expected to take two to three months. Metro Capital chief executive Mait Allas said the site could then be cleared for construction, but the Tallinn City Council has not yet approved the detailed plan. If the plan is approved, the company could begin designing the development next year and construction the year after.

Nearby residents and neighbourhood associations have repeatedly opposed the planned residential district in court and at the city council. Metro Capital, the new owner of the site, expects construction to begin in 2028 and the entire quarter to be completed over 10 years.

The plans include 300 apartments, along with extensive service and commercial space. One property would be transferred to the city, which plans to build a kindergarten there.

The blue Eesti Näitused pavilion has traditionally been used as a catering area during the song festival. At the next festival in 2028, soup will still be served in tents set up at the same location, but the catering area will later move to the song festival grounds.