The City of Helsinki has sold a 200-year-old manor to a firm that plans to operate the property as a restaurant and activity facility.
The seaside property, Stansvik Manor, located in a subdivision of the city's island district of Laajasalo, sold for 70,000 euros. However, the City said in a press release that it held onto the building's nearly two-hectare parcel of land and will lease it to the new owners.
Stansvik Manor includes a large number of buildings and facilities, including a 100-seat restaurant that was built in 1960, four houses used for accommodation, a maintenance building, a sauna, storage buildings, as well as three docks and two tennis courts.
The adjacent Anna Sofia park, which is lined with large, old oak trees will remain in the hands of the city and open to the public.
A firm called Stansvik Kartano purchased the manor, and the company plans to open its restaurant by May Day.
"Stansvik Manor has been inaccessible to the general public for decades. Now all of the manor's services will be open to the public," Tommi Korkala, the firm's CEO, said in the release.
The manor was built in the beginning of the 1800s and has been owned by the City since 1938. The property was put on the market twice before a suitable owner was found.
The City said it wanted to find a buyer with sufficient financial resources and have an ability to carry out necessary renovations, according to the release.
This coming season, there are plans for the manor to be open for lunch and dinner until the end of September. Meanwhile, the restaurant, main building and sauna will be available to rent year-round.
Following renovations, the new owners plan to revive the property's marina and tennis courts. There are also plans to offer kayak and SUP board rentals.
According to the press release, the sale is in line with the City's plan to sell off buildings it does not need. It said that the sale will enable resumption of use of the property while also enabling the City to shift maintenance funds towards schools, daycare centres and other facilities.
Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here.