Preparations underway at Ruskeasuo for construction of new residential neighbourhood

Four new streets and parks will be the first steps to build in the new neighbourhood. The construction thereof will begin this spring and summer. The construction of the neighbourhood’s public areas and blocks will take place in stages and will last until the 2030s.

The University of Helsinki’s former dental clinic building and the building of the Department of Forensic Medicine have already been demolished and their operations moved to Meilahti and Tilkanmäki.

Approximately 80 trees will be cut down from the coming street, park and block area before construction work begins. The trees will be cut down in the first week of February, starting on 3 February. The work is carried out on weekdays between 07-16.

More parks and vegetation

New trees will be planted in the Huopalahdenportti neighbourhood, as well as other plantings in parks, on the sides of streets and at squares. In addition, the new buildings will have green roofs and walls.

There are currently three green areas and parks in the neighbourhood: Punamäenlehto, Haaganpuronlehto and Kurjenmiekanpuisto. A new park, Perttelinpuisto, will also be built in the area. Haagapuronlehto be retained with new vegetation being planted there.

The Haaganpuro creek will be moved and extended towards Vihdintie. The majority of the stormwater in the new neighbourhood will be directed to the filter swales in the streets, as well as to the new retention pond in Haaganpuronlehto, that is, through the stormwater wetlands to Haaganpuro.

Trees will be removed from Kurjenmiekanpuisto park, at the northern edge of the neighbourhood, but large deciduous and coniferous trees, as well as perennials and shrubs, will be planted in their place. The ruins of the WWI-era cannon road in Punamäenlehto and the trees at the southern side of the park will be preserved.

Planned housing in the neighbourhood for 2,500 people

Huopalahdenportti will be a versatile and compact new neighbourhood, complementing Pikku Huopalahti and introduce new services to the neighbourhood. The area is planned to have homes for 2,500 people.

A new street, Kaarinankatu, carves a path through the neighbourhood. The Kaarinantori is its main square and the functional heart of the neighbourhood. Street-level facilities for services and businesses will be created in the buildings. A new daycare centre will also be built in the neighbourhood.

The buildings in the area will mainly be 5-8 storeys tall. In addition, a few 14-storey high-rise buildings will be built in the neighbourhood, in its north-eastern corner by Mannerheimintie and Vihdintie.

The construction of the blocks will begin at the eastern side of the neighbourhood from the blocks along Mannerheimintie. The first block to be built is block no. 16749. Construction will begin in 2025.

The change to the detailed plan that made the construction of a new neighbourhood possible was approved at the City Council meeting on 19 January 2022 and came into force on 24 August 2024.