The Tallinn TV Tower, the tallest structure in Estonia, has been closed since 2007 after the structure was deemed unsafe.
TALLINN — The Tallinn TV Tower, Estonia’s tallest structure and a city icon, is set to reopen in 2011 following renovation to bring it up to modern safety standards.
Urmas Ojamaa and Aare Siimon, the owners of Levira communications company, established the Tallinna Teletorn Foundation this month in order to renovate the 314 m tower, which was forced to close the 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 70s 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.
Siion told Baltic Reports that 16 million krooni (€1 million) will come from AS Levira, the owner of Tallinn TV Tower, and 86 million krooni (€5.5 million) will be covered by European Union structural funds designated for the development of cultural and tourist attractions of national importance.
“Approximately 70 million krooni (€4.4 million) will be spent on work to ensure the security of the visitors. Elevators, ventilation, and electrical installation will be reconstructed, also the water system for fire fighters and a secure room, where the visitors will be evacuated in case of fire, will be built,” Siion, Levira’s financial director, told Baltic Reports.
The project requires 102.8 mln krooni, said Siion.
“That includes the funds that are needed for reconstruction works, interior works and for the exposition. The 170 m high view deck will get a second floor and in addition 180 m high 22nd floor will also be opened to the visitors. The purpose is to make the TV Tower a high-visitor-rate tourist attraction,“ Siion said.
The Tallinna Teletorn Foundation plans to submit the complete application in 2010 and the construction works are estimated to begin in April or May 2010.
“The TV Tower is presumed to be opened in spring 2011, but at the moment we are preparing the reconstruction process ,whereas the complexity of the object may extend the completion deadline,” said Siion.
TV Tower a priority for EU funding, wins competition
The TV Tower renovation was one of 25 projects that applied to receive support from EU structural funds.
According to Priidu Ristkok of the Ministry of the Interior’s regional development department who composed the priority list of projects, an open contest took place where 25 projects were presented, of which three did not meet the requirements of the regulation. The remaining 22 projects were transmitted to the evaluation process, of which 11 exceeded the threshold.
Since the budget does not allow to cover the cost of all 11 projects, then only seven received support.
“Based on Tallinn City Enterprise Board statistics, the TV Tower has been on the first place of all tourism objects and is the most popular among foreign visitors in 2006 and 2007. According to the data 40,000 people visited the TV Tower in 2007; after the investments, 12,600 domestic tourists and 43,600 foreign tourists per year are expected,” Kristel Tuul, Estonian interior ministry spokesman, told Baltic Reports.
Other projects to be paid for in part with EU structural funds the renovation of the Port of Lennusadam, the Estonian Maritime Museum and the construction of new building for Estonian National Museum in Tartu.
