The Theater square, created in the 1970s, was planned to be restored this summer, but this has not begun. Blocks of concrete have collapsed in several places, rusty fixtures lurk from the blocks. The square is a well-established hangout for the homeless population, too.
“In the very center of Riga, like a tumor. Modernist architecture icon. It's horrible. It's like a homeless paradise there. Especially now that we played in the garden in the summer, it disturbed concerts,”, said Dailes Theater board member Juris Žagars.
“I don't know how this process has been going for so very long and hard, but it's probably all like that with procurement, with challenges, with design, with abnormal price increases in construction,” said Žagars.
The surrounding area of the Theater belongs to both the State and the local government. Riga City Council representative Rihards Rusins said that the planned works have not been delayed that long; since there are two owners, it was not possible to design a single plan. The head of the City Property Committee, Dainis Locis, said that the redevelopment of the territory is carried out by the State JSC State Real Estate (VNĪ), while the local government provides co-financing. Both Locis and Rusins stated that long-awaited redevelopment jobs in the area will begin within a month.
The renovation of the square of Dailes Theater will cost just over three million euro. Riga City Council reports that this year it is also planned to perform improvement work in Esplanade. On the other hand, the priority list for the following year includes Ēbelmuižas and Nordeķu Park, but it is not yet clear how much funding will be available next year.
