The application, from developer Tristania, states the plan is to develop a Nordic-style urban quarter in the city center, as a landmark which would attract city residents, visitors, innovative companies, and creative talent.

"The development could offer a high-quality living environment with diverse architecture and typology, attractive and human-centered street space; it could have mixed functions to support active urban life while at the same time ensuring a peaceful living environment for residents," the planning memorandum states.

Tristania owns the plots, which currently contain a parking lot and low-rise buildings and is bordered to the north and south by Reidi tee and Tuukri, and by Petrooleumi and Pikksilma to the west and east.

Reidi tee itself was extensively redeveloped several years ago as part of the rejuvenation of a previously fairly derelict area.

Tristania had however initially wanted to use the land for a public events space, which would have included facilities for a temporary amusement park, but this met with significant local opposition in spring this year. Tallinn city government's City Center (Kesklinn) district opposed planning permission and so the City of Tallinn declined to issue that permission.

The new planning application's memorandum states that the zone represents the last major urban development opportunity towards the sea side of the city center district, which is covered by the master plan for the coastal zone between

Paljassaare peninsula to the northwest, and the Russalka monument to the east.

Under this master plan, the maximum permitted building height is 17 meters, or four to five floors, meaning the Tristania application has proposed changing the current height restriction to allow for buildings of up to 11 stories to be constructed.

The memorandum notes that since the area is located on the borders of the city center and the Kadriorg district to the east, it should serve as a transition from a leafier zone to a more urban and denser development.

"Special building types, including buildings with greater floor heights, public-oriented functions, and planning a larger park require greater building height and number of floors," the memorandum notes.

Tristania submitted an application to initiate a detailed plan for the zone in July. The development would include both commercial buildings on the Reidi tee side, and apartment buildings towards the Tuukri side.

The detailed plan would repurpose the land use to commercial and residential, from the current commercial and industrial category.

To the east and south of the zone lie five-story apartment buildings and apartment buildings with commercial spaces, while industrial and commercial buildings lie to the west.

A landscaped public space or park would form the center of the planned redevelopment, which would also include a kindergarten or childcare facility. Greenery would make up to 40 percent of the area, under the plan.

The plan also includes a passage for pedestrians and cyclists from the intersection of Petrooleumi and Tuukri in the direction of the sea front.

A detailed plan had previously been initiated for the area back in 2011, but was not enacted.

Tristania says plans to hold a competitive process to find architecture and design solutions, and that the development will take place in phases.

Tristania is a real estate company owned by Igor Lysenko, who holds Cypriot citizenship, and Dmitry Lipyavko, a citizen of Malta. The company earned €132,000 in revenue but incurred a loss of €516,000 according to its financial report from last year.

That report noted that in 2024 a decision was made to discontinue work on the old detailed plan for the area adjacent to Reidi tee and to initiate a new detailed plan, while analyzing various proposals from potential partners and analyzing the real estate market.

Together with a partner firm, a new company, NIX Estate OÜ, was set up, which will work on the development. Tristania holds a 70 percent stake in NIX Estate OÜ according to the commercial register. In addition to Lipyavko and Lysenko, Philippe Michel Bucheton is also an owner of NIX Estate, according to the same register.

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