SRE: The construction works for the development of the Complex for Latvian National Opera and Ballet Decoration Workshops and Rehearsal Hall in Šķirotava will be performed by SIA “VELVE

In the construction tender announced by SJSC “State Real Estate” (SRE) for the establishment of SLLC “Latvijas Nacionālā opera un balets” decoration workshops and rehearsal hall complex at Meirānu iela 2, Riga, among 14 bidders, the offer of the contractor SIA “VELVE” for 6.13 million euros was recognised as the most economically favourable. If there are no appeals, SRE will enter into an agreement with the entrepreneur and start construction works in the coming months, informs Renārs Griškevičs, Chairman of the Board of SRE.

Premises with a capacity of 5,700 m² will be created for the staff of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet for the storage and production of decorations, and rehearsals, at the same time improving and greening the surrounding territory. “We plan to already start the construction works this summer and complete them by autumn 2023. Along with the establishment of the quarter, the surroundings of Šķirotava will also gain vitality and a new image, where artists, decorators and technical staff of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet stage will get busy with their projects. As a result of the project, the socio-economic environment of this area will improve, thus attracting more private investments,” R. Griškevičs points out.

Simultaneously with the establishment of the LNOB decoration workshops and rehearsal hall complex, SRE is carrying out the establishment of two more creative quarters - the quarter of the Tobacco Factory will be built on Miera iela, which in the 1st stage will be developed for the needs of the Latvian Academy of Culture and the Creative Industries Business Incubator, while, pretty near the reconstruction of the former Riga Light Industry Technical School building in Riga, A. Briāna iela 13, modern prototyping workshops “Riga Makerspace” will be developed for the needs of the Riga Art and Design Secondary School and the Art Academy of Latvia. It is planned to deliver all three projects for their creative development to the public in the suburbs of Riga by the end of 2023. These projects are financed from the European Regional Development Fund resources attracted by the Ministry of Culture under the specific support objective 5.6.1. “To promote the revitalisation of the City of Riga, ensuring the efficient socio-economic use of the territory” and the state budget.

Last year, under the conditions of the pandemic, 17 nationally significant development projects with a total budget of 29.5 million euros were completed under the leadership of SRE. Under the conditions of the pandemic, in accordance with the precautionary and safety requirements, work on 43 different construction objects of national importance with a total project budget of 156 million euros continue under the management of SRE. The company provides professional real estate management and administration for approximately 400 real estate properties with 1100 buildings of 1.02 million square metres and more than 3600 land properties of 9.6 million square metres. This year SRE is one of the 23 Latvian companies that have received the highest platinum award in the evaluation of the Sustainability Index of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, confirming the good governance and sustainability of its operations. The company was founded in 1996, its 100% shareholder is the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia.