A city bus takes Lahekalda residential area in cooperation between Tallinn city and Merko

Starting in August, bus line 44 will run to Lahekalda. While previously the nearest bus stop was more than 600 meters away from the Lahekalda apartment buildings, the public transport service that now runs to the edge of the residential quarter will simplify the daily lives of approximately 500 families.

The stop named Paekalda was added to bus line 44's route through the cooperation of Lasnamäe District Administration, Tallinn Mobility Agency, and Tallinn Public Transport. Merko developed the infrastructure of the stop located at the entrance to the Lahekalda residential quarter.

According to Indrek Tarto, the head of Merko Homes which is developing the Lahekalda residential quarter, the opportunities created by the developer within the residential quarters are very important, but equally important is easy access from home to school or work without the need for a personal car. "A bus running near your home is a highly valued added value. This has been anticipated since the completion of Lahekalda's first buildings in 2020, and the larger the community has grown, the more important the need for convenient public transport connections has been felt," said Tarto, and praised the cooperation with local government that improves residents' well-being.

Lahekalda residential quarter is a private area located between Kadriorg and Pirita on the Maarjamäe elevation. The opportunity to reach home by public transport reduces the need to use a car, enhances the sense of a peaceful residential area, and ensures significantly more convenient access to destinations in both the city center and Lasnamäe directions.

"As new residential areas grow, the environment surrounding them must keep pace, and public transport accessibility is one of the most important indicators in this. The Lahekalda community has grown significantly over the years, and resident feedback clearly showed that the area needs better mobility options. The addition of the Paekalda stop to line 44 gives residents convenient and fast connections in both the city center and Lasnamäe directions – exactly the kind of practical added value that makes a location a good home," said Lasnamäe District Elder Miroslav Berezovski.

This autumn, two apartment buildings with 105 homes will be completed in Lahekalda, after which approximately half of the residential quarter's planned apartment volume will be finished. Next, the Paekalda 13 building will be completed in autumn 2027. The apartment building created by architecture firm PLUSS contains 50 one- to four-room apartments, the sales of which began yesterday.

Merko has established a 24-hour mini-store "Lahe pood" in Lahekalda, invested in parcel lockers, and created facilities for maintaining bicycles and other light vehicles. Around the apartment buildings are residential courtyards with rest and movement areas, an outdoor gym, an alley of swings, a stepping path, a community garden with shared planting boxes, and a greenhouse with a bookshelf.

The future of Lahekalda is diverse. This autumn, the first part of Lahekalda Park will be completed with seating areas, swings, and a basketball court. Lahekalda's total scope is approximately 25 apartment buildings with more than a thousand apartments, complemented by some buildings with commercial and service functions.