Helsinki Music House could be "cheaper solution" than originally planned

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The new music centre in downtown Helsinki will be a watered-down version of the originally planned Music House. In addition, the completion of the complex will be delayed by up to six months - until the spring of 2010.
      On Wednesday it turned out that the board of the real estate company behind the venture had not received any tenders which would have complied with the budget constraints.
      On Thursday discussions began on how the music complex could be built in a cheaper way.
      "I wish we were not forced to resort to a cheap version", said Helena Hiilivirta, the planning director of the Helsinki Music Centre.
     
New tenders will be invited by the autumn. If the costs of the complex are not in compliance with the budget at that point, another concern could be looming, as one of the shareholders, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), would not be able to increase its financing endlessly. YLE is expected to cover 26 per cent of the costs.
      YLE Director Seppo Härkönen does not rule out the possibility that the broadcaster would still opt out of the venture entirely, saying that YLE cannot take any risks that are not strictly calculated in advance.
      On Wednesday it was also revealed that the only construction company that actually quoted a price estimated that the main contract would cost about double what had been estimated. This means that the house would cost up to one and a half times as much as calculated.
     
Tuomo Hahl from Senate Properties noted on Thursday that some facilities could be left out from the planned complex that was originally supposed to house a 1,650-seat concert hall and five smaller halls, as well as a restaurant, the Sibelius Academy Library, and some teaching and rehearsal premises.
      Hahl reported further that the various parts of the building will now be ranked in order of importance, while the original budget of EUR 106 million is still accepted as ”a technical estimate”.
      At this point it is up to the architects to study the plans and try to create some belt-tightening measures.
      According to Architect Ola Laiho, for example some cheaper material could be used for the floors, while the amount of natural stone would be decreased.
      Moreover, the copper that was planned for some indoor surfaces could be replaced by a cheaper material.
     
The developers
regret the current building boom - the contractors will be able to snatch excellent profit margins on the contract.
      While Helena Hiilivirta is hoping that the upward trend would turn down, Tarmo Pipatti, the Director General of the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries, does not believe that the ongoing construction boom would break in the next few years.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Costs of Helsinki´s new Music House likely to increase as contractors´ bids are rejected (3.5.2007)

Links:
  Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries

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