Latvian state company Valsts nekustamie īpašumi (VNĪ) has sold a 9.3 ha piece of land in Andrejsala to LLC IB Nekustamo Īpašumu Pakalpojumi (IBNĪP), which has ties to families of Ainārs Šlesers and Andris Šķēle for EUR 5.8 million.
IBNĪP had pre-purchase rights for the land as the owner of buildings located there, as reported by VNĪ CEO Ojārs Valkers.
The price of the piece of land – EUR 5.8 million – was approved in March based on the evaluation from LLC Latio. The payment contract for the 93 175 m2 piece of land was signed in May.
Before the contract was signed VNĪ received an advance of 10% or EUR 580 000. The contract provides for the payment of the remaining amount in the next five years.
VNĪ stresses that in accordance with the laws in Latvia, a state-owned piece of land can be sold only to the owner of the buildings are registered in the land book – the individual with pre-purchase rights. Such a right for the piece of land in question was previously held by IBNĪP and Freeport of Riga authority. The latter refused the right.
The piece of land in question was handed over to VNĪ for management in September 2016, when its cadastral value was EUR 1 112 935. There are 10 structures located there. All of them are registered for IBNĪP in the land book. There are also five engineering structures there.
The request for the repurchase of land was submitted by IBNĪP in January 2017. In February 2022 the company asked VNĪ to speed up the process.
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IBNĪP was registered in 2013 with base capital of EUR 783 000. The company is owned by LLC Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums (JAU), which is indirectly owned by LLC Regma 100 and LLC Inpo 21. Regma 100 is also indirectly owned by Edvards Šlesers (45%), Inese Šlesere (45%) and Ričards Šlesers (10%). Inpo 21 is owned by Kristiāna Lībane-Šķēle (30%), Anete Šķēle-Pētersone (25%), Madara Šķēle-Dupate (25%), Edgars Šķenderis (10%) and Iveta Smilga-Krongorne (10%).
In 2025 it is planned to open a new passenger and ro-ro freight terminal in the southern part of Riga Export Sea Port.
LLC Riga RoPax Terminal, which has ties to Šlesers and Šķēle families, plans to invest EUR 100 million into this project, as confirmed by Riga RoPax Terminal project leader Jūlija Bērziņa.
Currently there is a letter of intent signed between Freeport of Riga authority and Riga RoPax Terminal. This document covers plans to build a new passenger and cruise ship, as well as ro-ro freight service terminal. 2018 marked the start of the local planning procedure within the territory of Riga RoPax Terminal. The plan is almost ready to be submitted to Riga City Council, according to the freeport.
The new terminal project includes includes a public waterfront, new commercial premises, creative spaces, wider retail opportunities, infrastructure for passenger and ro-ro freight servicing, a landscaped public space, additional infrastructure for cruise ship handling with the prospect of creating a cruise line home port with the availability of restaurants and cafes for neighborhood residents, with a reduction of sound and air pollution in the city center, as well as safe traffic.
LLC Riga RoPax Terminal was registered in February with a base capital of EUR 3 000 500, according to information from Firmas.lv. The company is owned by JSC Rīgas 1.saldētava (93.74%) and LLC Riga Port City (6.26%). Rīgas 1.saldētava is part of Riga Commercial Port (RTO) Group, which is controlled by Šlesers and Šķēle families, whereas Riga Port City, like JAU, is owned by the aforementioned Regma 100 and Inpo 21.
On top of that, LLC Mācību centrs – another company with ties to both aforementioned families – has plans to build a seven-storey hotel in Andrejsala, specifically Andrejostas Street 27 – the intersection between Eksporta Street and Pētersalas Street. It is planned for construction to commence at the end of 2022.
Mācību centrs was registered in Andrejsala in 2005 with base capital of EUR 6 740 280. JAU is the company’s sole owner.
Rīgas jahtu centrs also has plans to build a new office building in Andrejosta, Eksporta Street 1D and 1E. The project’s client is LLC Rīgas jahtu centrs Andrejosta. The author of the project is LLC f.l.tadao&lukševics.
LLC Rīgas jahtu centrs Andrejosta was registered in 1993 with base capital of EUR 4 890 332. The company is owned by Šķēle family’s LLC Into 1 (62.25%), Pāvels Holodņuks (20.69%), Viktors Vasiļjevs (9.54%) and Pēteris Azāns (4.52%).
In 2006 there were announcements of massive investments plans for the development of Andrejsala and Eksportosta District – more than EUR 1 billion.
The project was implemented by JAU. The planned size of Riga Port City project there was 123 ha (39 ha in Andrejsala and 84 ha in Eksportosta Districs). The maximal possible construction area was planned at around 2.7 million m2, including 0.7 million m2 in Andrejsala.
Implementation of Riga Port City project was planned in several stages. Development of Andrejsala was planned as the first stage. The project’s organisers planned to do it within 10 to 15 years. The second stage of the project in Eksportosta District was planned to be implemented within 25 years.
Developers hoped to create apartments of different kind and social services institutions related to them to take up 65% of the entire construction area. 20% were planned to go to office buildings and hotels, stores, restaurants, cafes and others. 10% of territory would go to the commercial sector and 5% – to culture and entertainment objects.