Protected Hatanpää laundry building draws €735,900 top bid

Interest was strong: officials recorded 325 separate bids for the culturally significant red-brick building. City procurement specialist Emmi Korpela told Aamulehti by email the sale is now in internal review and will be sent to the housing and property committee for a final decision, and the city reserves the right to accept or reject offers.

The former laundry totals about 890 gross square metres on an 833-square-metre lot. There are 1,065 square metres of building rights and a proposed 40-year transferable ground lease. Zoning protects the structure, so demolition is prohibited and any repairs must preserve its cultural-historical character and role in the streetscape.

The auction follows the city's June listing: the property was first put up for auction in June when bidding opened, and an update on 31 July showed a much lower top bid of €20,801 before interest picked up.

The building stood for nearly 25 years as studio space for the Tampere Art Society and sits on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi. Parts possibly date to the 19th century; it was expanded in 1934 by architect Bertel Strömmer and converted in 1986 for painting and sculpture conservation. The city has been selling other Hatanpää properties recently, including a villa for €500,000, a manor office for €421,000 and a former deputy doctor's house for €303,100. Tamperelainen first reported the auction's closing.