Tallinn TV Tower renovation “on hold”

The Tallinn TV Tower is still beaming out television signals but the observation deck on the 21st floor is off-limits until the renovations are complete. Photo by Arvo Tormis.

TALLINN — The renovation of the Tallinn TV Tower is in standstill after the construction company that won the the public tender unexpectedly quit working.

The 102.8 million krooni (€6.57 million) makeover has been stopped and the contract between Foundation Tallinna Teletorn and KMG Ehitus construction company has been canceled, which means the tower may not be ready for Tallinn’s Capital of Culture year.

Riina Roosipuu, director of SA Tallinna Teletorn told Baltic Reports that a [private_supervisor]new procurement is going on and the companies have until Aug.16 to apply, so “hopefully the construction will start in September.”

“The completion will probably be delayed for a few months, but  it all will turn out once the schedule has been agreed with the building company,” Roosipuu said.

The foundation is considering suing KMG Ehitus to demand a 10.6 million krooni (€677,461) for penal fine for quitting the project. However, Roosipuu said that they prefer to find an agreement through negotiations and will turn to court only as a last resort.

It is rather likely that the issue will end up in court, as the director of KMG Ehitus Tiit Nurklik told Äripäev that his company “will not pay instantly,” and that “such cases will eventually clear out in court.”

The company complained over the delay in handing over the construction site, several financing issues, and disagreements on work capacity as reasons for quitting.

Enterprise Estonia’s tourism development center, which is funding the renovation has not paid anything to the construction company yet, as the first phase was agreed to be financed by the company itself. Yet, Nurklik told Äripäev that they will send a bill for the foundation.

The 314 m tower was forced to close its doors for the public in November 2007 due to the absence of necessary evacuation exits in case of fire or emergency. The tower was built in the late 1970s when Estonia was part of the U.S.S.R. and Soviet safety standards were less stringent than today’s. It’s still beaming out television signals but the observation deck on the 21st floor is off-limits until the renovations are complete. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]new procurement is going on and the companies have until Aug.16 to apply, so “hopefully the construction will start in September.”

“The completion will probably be delayed for a few months, but it all will turn out once the schedule has been agreed with the building company,” Roosipuu said.

The foundation is considering suing KMG Ehitus to demand a 10.6 million krooni (€677,461) for penal fine for quitting the project. However, Roosipuu said that they prefer to find an agreement through negotiations and will turn to court only as a last resort.

It is rather likely that the issue will end up in court, as the director of KMG Ehitus Tiit Nurklik told Äripäev that his company “will not pay instantly,” and that “such cases will eventually clear out in court.”

The company complained over the delay in handing over the construction site, several financing issues, and disagreements on work capacity as reasons for quitting.

Enterprise Estonia’s tourism development center, which is funding the renovation has not paid anything to the construction company yet, as the first phase was agreed to be financed by the company itself. Yet, Nurklik told Äripäev that they will send a bill for the foundation.

The 314 m tower was forced to close its doors for the public in November 2007 due to the absence of necessary evacuation exits in case of fire or emergency. The tower was built in the late 1970s when Estonia was part of the U.S.S.R. and Soviet safety standards were less stringent than today’s. It’s still beaming out television signals but the observation deck on the 21st floor is off-limits until the renovations are complete. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]new procurement is going on and the companies have until Aug.16 to apply, so “hopefully the construction will start in September.”

“The completion will probably be delayed for a few months, but it all will turn out once the schedule has been agreed with the building company,” Roosipuu said.

The foundation is considering suing KMG Ehitus to demand a 10.6 million krooni (€677,461) for penal fine for quitting the project. However, Roosipuu said that they prefer to find an agreement through negotiations and will turn to court only as a last resort.

It is rather likely that the issue will end up in court, as the director of KMG Ehitus Tiit Nurklik told Äripäev that his company “will not pay instantly,” and that “such cases will eventually clear out in court.”

The company complained over the delay in handing over the construction site, several financing issues, and disagreements on work capacity as reasons for quitting.

Enterprise Estonia’s tourism development center, which is funding the renovation has not paid anything to the construction company yet, as the first phase was agreed to be financed by the company itself. Yet, Nurklik told Äripäev that they will send a bill for the foundation.

The 314 m tower was forced to close its doors for the public in November 2007 due to the absence of necessary evacuation exits in case of fire or emergency. The tower was built in the late 1970s when Estonia was part of the U.S.S.R. and Soviet safety standards were less stringent than today’s. It’s still beaming out television signals but the observation deck on the 21st floor is off-limits until the renovations are complete. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]new procurement is going on and the companies have until Aug.16 to apply, so “hopefully the construction will start in September.”

“The completion will probably be delayed for a few months, but it all will turn out once the schedule has been agreed with the building company,” Roosipuu said.

The foundation is considering suing KMG Ehitus to demand a 10.6 million krooni (€677,461) for penal fine for quitting the project. However, Roosipuu said that they prefer to find an agreement through negotiations and will turn to court only as a last resort.

It is rather likely that the issue will end up in court, as the director of KMG Ehitus Tiit Nurklik told Äripäev that his company “will not pay instantly,” and that “such cases will eventually clear out in court.”

The company complained over the delay in handing over the construction site, several financing issues, and disagreements on work capacity as reasons for quitting.

Enterprise Estonia’s tourism development center, which is funding the renovation has not paid anything to the construction company yet, as the first phase was agreed to be financed by the company itself. Yet, Nurklik told Äripäev that they will send a bill for the foundation.

The 314 m tower was forced to close its doors for the public in November 2007 due to the absence of necessary evacuation exits in case of fire or emergency. The tower was built in the late 1970s when Estonia was part of the U.S.S.R. and Soviet safety standards were less stringent than today’s. It’s still beaming out television signals but the observation deck on the 21st floor is off-limits until the renovations are complete. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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