Siperia to Close on 3 August for Yearlong Overhaul of Downtown Restaurant Quarter

Siperia shopping centre in the Finlayson area will close on 3 August for a nearly year-long renovation that will remake its downtown restaurant quarter. The overhaul, funded with several million euros by pension insurance company Varma, aims to increase the number of cafés and restaurants to about a dozen while reducing their average size and improving accessibility and building systems. The project is led by A-Insinöörit Rakennuttaminen Oy. All entrances will be closed, including those on Itäinenkatu, Päämääränkuja, the Media 54 side and the Mediatunnel under Satakunnankatu. The whole restaurant zone will be a construction site with no phased openings, Tamperelainen reports.

Varma’s asset manager Kai Niinimäki said the centre turned 25 this spring, its core technical systems need replacing and visitors will notice a clear renewal of the spaces. When the work finishes in summer 2027, wider walkways and a high central hall will link the new units. Several restaurants will gain views toward Keskustori.

Long-empty venues such as the former Juveneksen and American Diner spaces will be absorbed into new layouts. Retail will include three to four service shops aimed at nearby office workers and residents, such as a barber, hair salon or beauty treatments, rather than a traditional shopping mall.

Siperia and the adjoining Media 54 drew more than 1.4 million visitors in 2025. Most current restaurants will remain open until the end of July.