Extensive investments have further refined Lasnamäe’s image as a first-class residential and commerical area

Lasnamäe, the most populated district in Tallinn, has always hidden the potential for rapid development. Major highways such as Laagna and Peterburi Road have ensured good access to the surrounding districts and settlements and thus contributed to the increase in the value of Lasnamäe as a residential area. In turn, the ever-growing population and consumers have created an increased demand for local business.

To meet the increasing demand, a lot of new and modern spaces have been added to Lasnamäe, and developers are full of plans for the future. For example, we are now preparing plans for a technopark, which will be located in the immediate vicinity of the Väo junction. 6 commercial buildings with a total commercial area of 21,300 m2 are planned to be built on a 5.5 hectare development site.

However, those who are looking for a new home can find a suitable one in the rapidly developing Majaka area - before the end of this year, the 12-apartment Sinilillekodu in Sikupilli (www.sinililled.ee), will be completed, where you can find new living space for both buying and investing in.

Many investments have been planned for this year as well as for the coming years. I will focus below on the largest and most large-scale of them.

Firstly, the development of the Ülemiste Rail Baltic terminal and its entire surrounding area and the creation of public squares. This will involve the creation of five-six tunnels under the railway to connect Ülemiste and Lasnamäe and, more broadly, the city centre. 

In 2024, the Ülemiste freight terminal will also move to Tapa from this area, which means that a lot of free land will be released from the terminal, which can be used for the creation of public space, residential and commercial premises. Finally, Ülemiste itself is developing rapidly. Most likely, if Ülemiste is developing at such a pace, in 15 years it’ll become the new Tornimäe, but perhaps also the new city centre.

Next, major changes are expected in the wasteland of Paevälja. This is the place where the Tallinn Hospital is planned, the Lahekalda residential quarter will be built, and right next to it, at Smuuli 1 property, a large residential and business quarter with an internal park will also be built. Lasnamäe klint is also located in Paevälja, and the area along it will soon become a long and unique recreation area with forest trails, benches, and other leisure opportunities. This green area will run along the Lasnamäe slope, on the border of Lasnamäe-Pirita district, essentially from Kadriorg to Kose. 

In connection with the Tallinn Hospital, the creation of a new road leading directly to the hospital is also being considered. For this purpose, a Soviet-era road corridor would be used, which is left between Narva Road and Mustakivi Road. The road would be called the Rahu Road. 

A so-called green corridor or green area has also been planned for Lasnamäe since earlier times, which would pass through Lasnamäe from east to west, forming an indivisible park. Only Tondiloo Park currently exists in this park area. This year, Tondiraba Park will also be completed and it will be one of the most diverse and natural parks in Lasnamäe and Tallinn.

Tondiraba and Tondiloo parks will be connected to each other by a new bike road and a sidewalk. At the moment, we are designing another bicycle road and sidewalk that would go from Tondiraba Park alongside Liikuri Street towards Valge Street and then down to Kadriorg. All these innovations together will soon make it possible to move directly from the city centre to the eastern edge of Lasnamäe by bicycle, on foot and by scooter.

In the east, this corridor would be connected to the Väo junction, which is one of the largest road construction projects this year. Together with the Väo intersection, the city will start building a new connecting road this year, which will go to Ussimäe Street. This project also involves the creation of new light traffic roads and renovation of the existing roads. The expansion of the Priisle business park to, for example, adjacent private properties can also be expected, as the region has established itself as a good business environment. 

It is also planned to reconstruct St. Petersburg Road, which is one of the most important highways for the city next to Laagna Road. Along with this, bicycle paths, pedestrian paths will be created, and the entire urban roadside will be modernized. It is also planned to establish a state gymnasium in Lasnamäe in the coming years. 

Lasnamäe’ s general plan stipulates quite exactly where there is living and where there are job places. Lasnamäe can be divided into two - north of the St. Petersburg highway there is a residential area. The exception here is the industrial area south of Punane Street. But everything else that stands in the way of St. Petersburg is an industrial area that already has a lot of jobs and the potential for new jobs is even greater. 

It is clear that in the near future new jobs will be created in the Tondiraba area which is a job centre within Lasnamäe. There are already all kinds of warehouses, shops, light industry enterprises and some undeveloped plots. For example, Tähesaju City. 

In fact, the Lasnamäe regional centres are also not completely developed. There are quite large plots inside the settlements and there is a potential that something will happen to these plots. For example, Anni 16, Vikerlase 23 is an exceptionally large plot of land, which will probably have a commercial function in the future. There are still such plots in Lasnamäe such as the Pae market building which is waiting for a new solution among others. 

It is important for us that even if the jobs are a little further south, very good connections with residential areas would be ensured, so that people would feel comfortable when walking, cycling, or using public transport.

 

In Lahekalda area, on the Smuuli 1 property; it is possible that a smaller part of Kurepõllu settlement will be built in, because there is free land here. In addition, the Lavamaa area has not been fully completed, new developments will definitely come here as well. 

There is also potential along Vana-Kuuli Street, there is private land where real estate can be added. New developments are expected in Majaka area, which is located between the city centre and the Ülemiste area, and there is a whole quarter here, where there are actually motor pools and garages, and which use has not been properly resolved so far. It’s only a matter of time before a residential quarter will be created there. 

There are also ideas for building houses by the St. Petersburg highway and the Ülemiste area. Step by step, with the relocation of this cargo terminal, the industry will start moving more towards Ülemiste, and instead of the current location of the industry, residential buildings will start to rise. Let’s not forget that Paepark and Kadriorg Park are remarkably close. 

The biggest development site is definitely the Väo quarry, where it will soon no longer be possible to mine. Then the reclamation of the quarry and the reunification of this territory with the urban space begins. It is still difficult to imagine what the planning of the former quarry will look like, but it is clear that there could be space here for both jobs and housing.