Strongmen Laid a 500-kilo Cornerstone to Mark Ülemiste City’s Aspirations towards Becoming an Independent City
A cornerstone was laid today for the first homes to be built in Ülemiste City. This is a landmark event for the business hub of more than 10,000 employees in becoming a city in its own right and with its own permanent population.
A cornerstone was laid today for the first homes to be built in Ülemiste City. This is a landmark event for the business hub of more than 10,000 employees in becoming a city in its own right and with its own permanent population.
According to Margus Nõlvak, Chairman of the Management Board of Mainor Ülemiste, the company developing Ülemiste City, more than a thousand people are expected to live in the hub by 2025. „The laying of the cornerstone for the first residential building is a landmark event in turning the hub into a new area with a permanent population,” Nõlvak emphasised.
„The new goal for Ülemiste City is to become a completely independent city and the plans for the next five years include, in addition to the first apartments, a health centre to be opened soon, a new complex to serve city’s educational needs, provision of the necessary goods and services and transport connections granting access to the whole world,” Nõlvak explained, and added that by 2025 people living and working in Ülemiste City would have no need whatsoever to leave the place.
The Lurich Building for which the cornerstone was laid today will be situated within the 19th century limestone walls of the Dvigatel workshop and will consist of two towers: a 13-storey block of rental apartments and an 8-storey office block. The 81 modern apartments will be fully furnished and the house fully automated, so that with the help of a smart phone one can move in virtually within a few minutes.
As a sign of respect for Estonia’s most famous wrestler Georg Lurich, who gave the name to the building, today’s strongest men in Estonia laid as the cornerstone a 500 kg hook of an overhead crane that had been in use in the old workshop. This is probably the heaviest cornerstone put in place by using just human strength.
The building was designed by Pluss Architects, the builders are from Fund Ehitus and the funding is provided by OP Corporate Bank. The first Ülemiste City homes will be ready by next spring.
Photos: Raul Mee