Ülemiste Shopping and Entertainment Centre is embarking on its most ambitious extension yet, marking a significant milestone in its 20-year history. The first phase of this extension is planned to introduce new shops and offices and will include a second main entrance strategically positioned to face the future Rail Baltica main terminal. This unique feature, designed to enhance accessibility and convenience, will further redefine the shopping experience at Ülemiste.
The Tallinn City Government has approved the initiation of detailed planning, based on which Ülemiste Shopping and Entertainment Centre aims to increase its building volume substantially. Previously expanded twice, the centre already boasts nearly 130,000 square meters of roofed area, making it one of the largest in the Baltic region. With the new plan, Ülemiste is set to expand more than 60,000 m2.
According to Frode Gronvold, the Chairman of the Board of Linstow Baltic SIA, the Norwegian management company and the owner of Ülemiste Shopping Centre, the key to the centre’s success has been its ability to grow and adapt. By continuously monitoring market trends and constantly seeking and creating new exciting solutions, the centre has made visiting it a great experience time and time again. “Past successes and Tallinn’s ambitions to increase mobility and business activity in the Ülemiste area give our owners confidence that further investment into Ülemiste will be the right step,” said Gronvold.
In the first phase, the plan is to expand the eastern wing of the centre, which borders Suur-Sõjamäe Street. As the Rail Baltica Ülemiste Terminal is being built directly across the street, the plan includes establishing a new main entrance to the centre facing it. The extension is allocated for new shops, cafes, and restaurants. Additionally, there is a desire to introduce healthcare and medical services to the centre, and consideration is given to opening a library. The largest part of the expansion will be allocated to offices.
Guido Pärnits, the Executive Director of Ülemiste Shopping and Entertainment Centre, explained that the third extension is a natural step considering the Ülemiste area’s transformation into Tallinn’s main gateway in the coming years. “With the new extension, Ülemiste Centre becomes a unifying anchor for the entire area, which is currently undergoing vigorous development,” Pärnits stated.
“On one side, the Rail Baltica terminal is rising. On the other hand, Ülemiste City, Estonia’s third-biggest economy with its 17,000 talents and 500 international companies, is being developed, the Tallinn Airport is seeking significant growth, and the European Park, bordering with a 26-story tower empowering the area, is being built. As a result, tens of thousands of new people will soon arrive in this area, functioning as a catalyst for investments and service models, meanwhile still needing shops, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, playgrounds, and various service establishments, from hairdressers to cobblers, not to mention new parking spaces. Additionally, a network of cycling paths will pass through here in the future, connecting the people of Peetri and Jüri to Tallinn city centre,” Pärnits added. “Therefore, there is reason to commend the City of Tallinn, which sees the entire area as a comprehensive development opportunity.”
The aim is to plan the extension of Ülemiste Shopping and Entertainment Centre in parallel with the construction of the Rail Baltica terminal. The execution of the project will depend on market demand.
