Garden Helsinki project takes step ahead

Article posted by Coliseum, February 13^th, 2025

Image: Garden Helsinki

The developers of the Garden Helsinki project in Finland have signed a deal for construction of a multi-purpose arena and appointed an experienced construction expert for the project.

SRV and Projekti GH Oy have signed an agreement for the development of the arena and related hotels, offices, parking facilities and residential buildings in Töölö, Helsinki.

And Risto Seppo will start as the Director of Construction at Project Garden Helsinki.

Garden Helsinki said Seppo brings over 30 years of experience in construction, thus strengthening the development team of the Garden Helsinki project.

Garden Helsinki is a property development project planned to be implemented with private financing to house the world’s most modern event arena, serving culture and sports lovers all year round.

The project was initiated by Helsingin IFK, a sports club that plays in the Finnish ice hockey league and has been operating in the center of Helsinki since 1897.

The new event centre will incorporate the old Helsinki Ice Hall and will cater to cultural and sports events throughout the year. The Garden’s financiers are solid Finnish institutions engaged in real estate investment.

SRV has previously implemented the world-class Nokia Arena on Tampereen Kanne and is involved in the development phase of the arena project for Ratapihalle in Turku.

Garden Helsinki said that during the development phases of the project, the project design is being developed together with the client in terms of, among other things, functionality, costs, schedule and technical parameters.

The development phase aims to ensure the prerequisites for the successful implementation of the project and the achievement of the client’s goals. If the conditions are met, the client will make a decision on whether to move the project to the implementation phase.

The current estimate of the value of the construction of the entire complex is approximately €800 million. The construction work on the Garden Helsinki arena complex is intended to start in spring 2026.

SRV’s CEO Saku Sipola said, “We are delighted to be working with Projekti GH Oy and the City of Helsinki to develop a new event hub in Töölö, and we are bringing our diverse experience from similar arena projects in Tampere and Turku to the project.

“In Tampere, the Nokia Arena, with its offices, hotels and apartments, jointly developed by the city and SRV, has generated positive vitality and significant economic activity for the city, and has also supported the strategy and image of the city of Tampere as an international event city.

“We believe that Garden Helsinki would bring a similar significant attraction, stimulation and competitiveness to Helsinki as a city of sports, culture and major events.”

Seppo added, “I am confident that together with SRV’s construction professionals and our skilled designers, as well as the strong Garden Helsinki team, we will be able to develop the project so that it does not remain just an ambitious plan, but that Garden Helsinki will also become a reality.

“Such a large-scale project naturally attracted the interest of construction companies, but SRV’s cooperative attitude and experience in arena construction were important factors in choosing a development partner.”

Seppo has previously been responsible for, among other things, the expansion of the Iso Omena shopping center and the development and construction of the Lippulaiva shopping center, the latter of which in particular has a lot in common with Garden Helsinki.

He joins Garden Helsinki from Sponda, where he has led the commercial development and construction team.

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