On 9 October, the cornerstone was laid for the Tallinn city centre’s newest business complex by its developer Estconde, construction contractor Merko and anchor tenant LHV. City Plaza 2, on the corner of Gonsiori and A. Laikmaa streets, will be completed in early 2028.
City Plaza 2 consists of three parts. The highest has 28 storeys and towers 101 metres – an office tower that will be the corporate headquarters of the bank LHV. The lower parts are a six-storey office/commercial building on the corner of the two streets and a four-storey office building on Laikmaa Street, which will also be used by LHV.
Estconde Invest management board member Angel Andla said at the cornerstone laying ceremony that the establishment of City Plaza 2 marks a key milestone. “What you now see on the construction site is the fruits of 10 years of work. In planning this building, we have prioritized a sustainable construction style and creation of a contemporary work environment for those who will be starting work in the office building, and sharing this green, modern urban space with all Tallinners. In total, the complex will have 21,000 square metres of class A office and commercial space.”
Estconde acquired the plot of land in 2016. The architecture competition held that year was won by a design submitted by Alver Arhitektid and it is that design which is now being carried out.
Estconde and Merko concluded the design-build contract in September 2024. The construction spanning the past year has been centred below-ground so far, where Merko concrete specialists are building the two underground storeys. In August, concrete was poured for the slab and formwork under the building, requiring 1375 cubic metres of concrete – 196 truckloads. Part of Gonsiori and Tartu maantee were closed and three concrete pumps were in operation simultaneously on the streets around the site. The job started at 4am and was finished right before midnight. It is the largest-scale concrete project that Merko has completed in a single day. Work was in tight quarters and the formwork was installed in concrete using three different formulas.
Head of Merko Ehitus Eesti’s general construction division Marek Hergauk said construction was on schedule and the building was on track for completion by the deadline. “It’s challenging to do such large-scale construction work in tight conditions right in the public eye in the city centre, and it provides work for many. City Plaza 2 is an architecturally outstanding building and it is good to be able to deliver work to a customer who shares Merko’s values. We’d like to thank the contractors, partners and the customer for their rewarding partnership.”
Work above ground level is expected to start in a month, at which point the progress will be visible by people going about their everyday business in the city. By the second half of 2026, the building should be high enough to be spotted from the sea.
With a footprint of 37,000 square metres and more than 21,000 square metres of tenant space, City Plaza 2 will be a skyscraper in the front line in Tallinn’s skyline, offering some of the finest views of the sea and Old Town. The public urban space around the building with class A office space will be renovated and a plaza will be built between the units that make up the complex.
The planning of the complex laid emphasis on maximizing office users’ comfort and fostering a workplace that supports a healthy lifestyle. The building will have Estonia’s largest bike parking facility, with room for more than 200 bicycles. There will be parking for 160 cars.
The business centre is being built to meet energy class A standards, with energy-efficient features, efficient heating and ventilation and solar panels on the roof. The project proceeds from environmentally friendly aims, and the building will conform to the Excellent level of the BREEAM international sustainability standard.
The individual architects working on the City Plaza 2 design are Andres Alver, Tarmo Laht, Sven Koppel and Kristjan Värav, representing the practice of Alver Arhitektid. For more information about the complex, visit cityplaza.ee.
