The 'Corner House' on Brīvības Street 61 is managed by State Real Estate (Valsts nekustamie īpašumi, VNĪ). The building is a cultural history monument and an estate of national importance. In 2021, VNĪ announced that due to safety concerns, the house needs capital repairs, otherwise it cannot operate in any way. If capital repairs are not done, the operating rights would be terminated as of May 7, 2024. It would also mean that the KGB museum, which has lease rights in the house until 2050, would close.
Solvita Vība, the head of the Occupation museum, said the museum is concerned as the involvement of VNĪ is necessary to prevent violations.
“It is necessary to repair the spaces leased by the Latvian Occupation Museum Society for nearly EUR 700,000. Well, the main thing would be to start working on this plan. And then to plan both the funds and the works, because this issue has been there since 2020 and by 2024, we should have a solution in which we could take care of the preservation of this historic building,” Vība pointed out.
There is a high demand for access to the Corner House: nearly 30,000 people have already visited it this year, said Vība.
VNĪ has held several auctions on the Corner House on condition that the spaces of the museum are preserved for its needs.
