The city of Helsinki intends to facilitate the conversion of business premises to residential use.
Helsinki the city's office holders are preparing a proposal for the politicians, with which the empty offices in the center could be converted into apartments more quickly than at present.
Next, the opinions of the business world are collected about the changes in the purpose of use. The plan is to bring the issue to the politicians for a decision during the spring, says the director of Helsinki's urban environment Ville Lehmuskoski.
The preparation of the case was boosted by the mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen (kok) initiative.
Last fall, Vartiainen hoped that the conversion of business premises to residential use would be made easier and that more residents would be attracted to the city center.
We have already heard such wishes from the direction of the business world much earlier.
“The idea is that the city will take a more lenient approach to these situations than before,” says Lehmuskoski.
Bridge converting office premises to residential use is difficult, but not completely impossible.
Changes are hampered by the so-called conversion principles, which have certain restrictions. The city is now considering removing these restrictions, says Lehmuskoski.
“It is not smart to allow changes in the purpose of use in all situations, but there are many situations where we can act more flexibly than we have done now.”
In the city center, one of the challenges is, for example, restaurants, where the noise coming from them must not disturb living.
“
“There are many situations where we can act more flexibly than now.”
Buildings the principles drawn up for changes of use apply to the inner city from the south of Pasila to the center.
There are three different zones in the principles: downtown area, functionally mixed area and residential-focused area.
The zones describe, on a general level, how areas should be developed and what kind of boundary conditions they have.
However, every project aimed at changing the purpose of use is always evaluated on a case-by-case basis, says Helsinki's leading architect Kerttu Kurki-Issakainen.
In all these areas, changes in purpose of use are already possible under certain conditions and have also been implemented.
In residential areas, the stone pavement must be preserved in the use of business premises. In a functionally mixed area, there must be more office space: a total of two floors so that the stone floor is used as office space.
In the city center, changes are currently possible if the need for business premises has decreased or there will be significant new business premises in the area. There must also be office space on at least two floors, one of which is on a stone foundation.
So now the relaxation of these conditions is under consideration.
Housing adding to the center is related not only to the city's growing pains, but also to the city's waning appeal.
The spread of remote work and the growth of online shopping have led to underutilization of offices and reduced customer numbers. Several shops have closed in the center, and even entire office buildings have been left empty.
In the future, new premises are coming to Elielinaukio and Makasiinranta, among others.
According to Lehmuskoski, there is still a strong demand for modern offices in the center of Helsinki, and the city strives to promote such projects.
#Housing #easier #convert #offices #apartments #center #Helsinki
