The plot at Suur-Ameerika 3 and Väike-Ameerika 4 in central Tallinn, adjacent to the so-called superministry building, will be the address of the new embassy complex and was first earmarked for this purpose several years ago.

The new embassy once built will replace the existing U.S. embassy on Kentmanni street.

Tallinn Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning Madle Lippus (SDE) said that the plan, adopted in May, has gone through its public disclosure and consultation phases, and is ready to be fully established.

"With the establishment of the plan, the U.S. will obtain the necessary building rights to construct a new embassy building in Tallinn. We are delighted that the embassy's intention is to proceed immediately with the building's design, and to reach embassy construction complex by 2027. From the city's perspective, the plan is to carry out the renewal of the Väike-Ameerika street section in parallel with the complex design, such that the embassy building and the supporting new public space will be completed at the same pace," Lippus said.

The plan's preparation is aimed at ensuring the compatibility of the buildings and structures with the surrounding urban space, to create an outdoor space solution which also meets security requirements and which takes into account local conditions, and to minimize the impact on the daily lives of local residents.
The detailed plan requires the embassy's main building architecture to fit in with the existing urban environment and also to avoid monotony. Another requirement is to ensure a high-quality outdoor space, drawing on the involvement of professional specialists on this aspect.

When choosing the new embassy's location, several criteria were considered, including proximity to the city center, good accessibility to different means of transport, proximity to institutions important for cooperation, a suitably sized plot, and security requirements feasibly being met within that plot's parameters.

The City of Tallinn and the U.S. have also agreed during the detailed planning process that the U.S. will undertake an obligation to construct public facilities worth €1.2 million, in the area bordering Väike-Ameerika.

The city will build public access roads there, public landscaping, and rework existing sidewalks with stormwater drainage and proper street lighting where necessary.

The site of the new embassy complex lies on a former sports ground known as the Lastestaadion ("Children's stadium") and while this space had already diminished in size with the superministry construction and, at the western end of the former sports field, a residential apartment block, residents of the adjacent Uus Maailm district raised concerns about the loss of the existing green areas.

Following these concerns being raised, the U.S. chose to support the development of the embassy's surroundings by funding the modernization work.

The plot covers 1.75 hectares and once built the embassy complex will consist of one main building of up to nine floors, and up to six buildings of two floors each.

The main building is planned for the middle of the plot, as far as is possible from the surrounding streets and existing buildings, to maintain good sunlight conditions for neighboring dwellings.

The two-storey ancillary buildings will be located on the edges of the plot.

The planned solution allows security requirements to be implemented within the plot, unlike the U.S. embassy's current location, which has required traffic restrictions in place on Kentmanni due to security considerations.

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