The Tallinn City Government has initiated a detailed plan for the former Hiiu Grain Elevator area in Nõmme to transform the former industrial site into a modern and multifunctional community center.

Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning, Madle Lippus, explained that repurposing the former industrial area will open it to the public and create a new local hub with a distinct character in Nõmme. “The planning solution includes preserving the grain elevator’s building volume while adding new structures for both residential and public use. In the long run, we envision this as an extension of the Hiiu subdistrict center, which is why we are prioritizing the street network and public spaces, ensuring accessibility and safety for all age groups—designed for both 8-year-olds and 80-year-olds,” said Lippus.

The development area covers 3.18 hectares, including properties at Salve 5, Salve 7, Lauliku 2c, and Lauliku 2b. The goal of the plan is to divide and rezone the land while establishing construction rights for 3-12-story residential and commercial buildings. Additionally, the plan includes a community center and the development of an attractive public space. The detailed plan also outlines land use regulations and solutions for access roads, landscaping, maintenance, parking, and utility networks.

Nõmme District Governor, Karmo Kuri, noted that opportunities for entirely new developments in the district are rare, making it positive that the long-abandoned Hiiu Grain Elevator and its surroundings will gain new life. “The Hiiu Grain Elevator project benefits from a strategically favorable location that promotes alternatives to private cars. Public transport connections are strong—besides bus lines, the Hiiu train station is just a few hundred meters away, and a light traffic road runs alongside. This allows for smart parking solutions that minimize the burden on local traffic. New housing and commercial buildings will also help alleviate the pressure to develop greenfield sites in Saue and Laagri, ultimately reducing transit traffic through Nõmme,” Kuri explained.

The planned area is located in the historic industrial zone at the heart of the Hiiu subdistrict in Nõmme, between the Estonian Defence League’s Tallinn Training and Logistics Center and residential and industrial land. The northern boundary reaches the Kitsarööpa light traffic road, and the surrounding area consists mainly of production and commercial properties. The site is not within a heritage protection zone or under environmental protection. However, nearby at Salve 6 is the Peeter the Great’s Naval Fortress railway roundhouse, a historic landmark from 1917. The entire planning area falls within the military protection zone of the Tallinn Training and Logistics Center.

According to the general plan for Nõmme, the existing industrial land will be replaced by mixed-use developments where residential buildings, workplaces, services, and public spaces form a balanced urban environment. This enables sustainable mobility and supports the "15-minute city" concept, allowing residents to meet daily needs close to home. The plan includes ten plots: three for residential use, two for mixed residential and commercial use, two for commercial and public use, one for community buildings, and two for transportation infrastructure.

The planning solution is based on the winning design from the 2021 architectural competition for the Hiiu Grain Elevator urban design concept, created by KOKO Architects OÜ.

The detailed plan, prepared by Ruum ja Maastik OÜ, is available for review in Tallinn's planning register: https://tpr.tallinn.ee/DetailPlanning/Details/DP046690.

Photos: Initial versions of the winning design concept from the architectural competition by KOKO Architects OÜ.