New business park planned in heart of Tartu's Annelinn
A developer is planning a three-building business park in Tartu's Annelinn District, aiming to bring more services closer to the largely residential area.
Located just off the intersection of Sõpruse puiestee and Anne tänav, OÜ Emajõe Ärilinnak wants to develop a two-hectare site at Anne 46 and Anne 48 into a business park focused not on retail, but service providers.
The Tartu city government is set to place the detailed plan on public display in the coming weeks.
Ingvar Allekand, a member of the developer's management board, said the exact mix of services is still taking shape. "But the emphasis is not on retail, but rather services," he said, adding that possibilities include a spa or medical services. Accommodation options are also on the table.
The city organized a design competition for the site. Tartu city architect Jiri Tintera said the area is a mix of large apartment buildings and detached single-family homes, which made scale a key consideration.
The winning proposal split the development into three standalone buildings with a street and square between them. This setup, he said, creates "a good spatial transition from the large buildings to the smaller ones."
Both Tintera and Annelinn Society chief Riina Kallas said they hope the finished project will benefit the district. Kallas noted that parking remains a major concern.
"Services coming closer to residents is always welcome," she said. "But perhaps the only thing we've discussed among ourselves is that hot-button issue — parking."
Kallas added that parking for the planned new complex "needs to be very carefully considered," stressing that residents should not lose out on the parking options they currently have.
Under the current detailed plan, an easement agreement grants 60 public parking places on the site; the new plan would eliminate 21 of them. An underground parking garage is also planned, however, joining a 39-space surface lot that would be shared by residents, visitors and employees.
The detailed plan for the future Anne business park will be on public display starting December 22, with residents able to submit comments through January 12.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Aili Vahtla
