Cornerstone Laid for Tartu Südamekodu

Südamekodud, Eften Real Estate Fund AS and Tartu Ehitus laid a symbolic cornerstone for the new Tartu Südamekodu, which is being built near the Estonian National Museum. The new elderly care home at Ermi 13 will, in its first phase by July 2024, offer a modern living environment for 120 seniors.
Among those placing the cornerstone were Eften Capital CEO Kristjan Tamla, Tartu Municipality Mayor Jarno Laur, Tartu Deputy Mayor Mihkel Lees, Tartu Ehitus Construction Manager Indrek Kann, and Südamekodud Council Chairman Martin Kukk. The time capsule included a copy of Tartu Postimees, project documents, a Südamekodud brochure, the Tartu Municipality newsletter, and the city’s emblem.
According to Eften Capital CEO Kristjan Tamla, developing Tartu Südamekodu is special for the company in several ways. “Although this is already the third elderly care home for Eften, it is the first outside Harjumaa and the first to be designed from the start specifically as a care home. Across Estonia, care homes are increasingly being developed close to where people live and where families can easily visit. We are delighted to build this new Südamekodu in cooperation with Estonia’s most professional care operator, Südamekodud, and the progressive Tartu Municipality,” said Tamla.
Tartu Municipality Mayor Jarno Laur expressed his joy that such an important social facility is being built in the municipality, improving access to core community services. “We are happy to have found such excellent partners in Eften and Südamekodud for building and providing services at the new care home. Residents and employees from neighbouring municipalities on both sides of the Emajõgi River will also be able to come here, which reflects the spirit of a unified urban region,” Laur said.
Tartu Deputy Mayor Mihkel Lees noted that the shortage of long-term care home places remains one of the most serious challenges in southern Estonia. “The approximately 150 places created in recent years have only eased the situation slightly. As the care reform progresses, more and more people will require care services. I’m very pleased that more than 100 new places will be added with the new Tartu Südamekodu, offering options also for residents of the city,” Lees said.
Südamekodud Council Chairman Martin Kukk added that, similar to housing development, building modern care homes increasingly follows people’s preference to live in cities. “We’ve been developing Südamekodud for over six years, and Tartu has always been a city where we’ve wanted to open a care home. Hopefully, in the second half of next year, the construction will reach a stage where we can begin shaping it into a real home. After all, walls, roofs, and foundations don’t make a home — it’s the people who live and work there who do,” said Kukk.
Tartu Ehitus Construction Manager Indrek Kann observed that, unlike in the past when such projects were built by a few craftsmen, up to 100 specialists are now involved in constructing the new Südamekodu. “We’re grateful for the trust placed in us to build Tartu’s new care home and hope to celebrate the traditional topping-out ceremony in just a few months,” Kann said.
The care home is being built in cooperation with the EfTEN Real Estate Fund AS subsidiary, EfTEN Ermi OÜ. Construction is taking place in stages — by July 2024, the building’s structure and interior works for the first two blocks will be completed. The third block’s interior will follow in the second stage. The total cost of the first phase is approximately €5.3 million, excluding VAT.
Tartu Südamekodu will be located in a growing residential district designed as a complete environment, including homes, commercial spaces, educational institutions, and public buildings.
Südamekodud is Estonia’s largest provider of elderly care services, comprising 11 care homes across the country, housing over 800 seniors and employing more than 400 professionals. The group’s homes are located in Käru, Piigaste, Lihula, Värska, Saaremaa, Kunda, Kohtla-Järve, Valkla, Paide, and Tallinn (Merivälja and Pirita), with Tartu soon joining the list. The aim of Südamekodud is to create and develop living environments where older people can enjoy a safe and comfortable life.