Renovation and finishing in Centrs - for Art Nouveau and pre-war rental buildings

Art Nouveau buildings in a UNESCO area

In the Centrs neighbourhood, built-up areas occupy 163.7 ha of 373.2 ha, and the neighbourhood is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Riga neighbourhoods portal (apkaimes.lv) names the density of Art Nouveau buildings as a special feature, and in Centrs the rental buildings and villas built by Baltic German and Latvian architects stand out.

In such buildings the floors are mostly timber, ceilings are high, windows are non-standard sizes, and without reconstruction the building has no lift. In renovation this means that floors, ceilings and walls must be assessed by their condition, not by area alone, and that old details such as ceiling cornices, doors and tiled stoves must be decided separately: keep, restore or remove. See pre-war building renovation.

Historic windows and external doors: what Cabinet Regulation No. 127 sets

The rules for the historic centre of Riga and its protection zone prohibit changing the original historic windows and external doors in facades facing public outdoor space; exceptions are set by paragraph 6.2 of the regulation. In low-value buildings or buildings that spoil their surroundings, replacing windows and glazing loggias is allowed without other facade work. Windows and external doors are also common property of the building, and they are changed in agreement with the building manager.

If the building is a cultural monument, the solution is agreed with the National Heritage Board or with the cultural heritage unit of the City Development Department. Approval of reconstruction in Centrs is handled by Riga municipality's City Development Department (until 1 September 2021 the Riga City Building Board). Interior finishing, non-load-bearing partitions and interior doors are part of the apartment. For finishing work only (painting, wallpaper, floor covering) no documents are needed.

Restricted access, zones A, B and C: what to write

Centrs has a dense public transport network and is close to the station, but access by car can be restricted. Centrs has Riga's paid parking zones (zones A, B and C), so in the request write the address and whether a vehicle can enter the courtyard.

• address, entrance from the street or the courtyard, floor and whether there is a lift
• area of the apartment or premises in m² and the approximate ceiling height
• whether there are historic details to keep: cornices, tiled stoves, parquet, doors
• apartment, office or rental apartment
• whether the bathroom, the wiring or the riser will be changed

If the premises are in an office or a shop, also write which hours work can be done there and whether the building has security or passes.

Timber floors, tiled stoves and new bathrooms

If a new bathroom in a pre-war building is placed in a different spot, you need to know what is below it. In apartment buildings, sanitary rooms are placed above similar rooms, but above the living rooms of the apartment below they are permitted if the requirements for soundproofing, waterproofing, thermal insulation, fire safety, ventilation and safety are met. On a timber floor this requires a careful plan for the base and the waterproofing, chosen by the condition of the floor.

Stoves and flues are a separate question: a natural ventilation duct must not be used to remove flue gases, and if a stove is kept as a decoration, write that in the request. See bathroom renovation in Centrs and full renovation in Centrs.

Office, shop or hotel premises

Centrs is Riga's main administrative and commercial area outside Vecrīga (Old Riga), with offices, retail and hospitality. In office renovation what matters is the time when the premises can be closed, and whether the layout changes: plasterboard partition walls, ceilings, lighting and floors. If an apartment is converted into an office or the other way round, the use of the premises changes, and that is no longer simplified renovation; the type of construction proposal is chosen by the content of the work. See office renovation in Centrs and renovation of premises for businesses.

Rental apartment in a historic building

For a rental apartment in Centrs it is worth finding a balance between historic character and a durable finish. Original parquet can serve longer after sanding and varnishing, while in the kitchen and hallway tiles or vinyl flooring are suitable. Before the renovation decide whether you will change the wiring and pipes, because doing it in an apartment with a tenant is harder. See rental apartment renovation in Centrs and parquet sanding.

Prices for apartments and premises in Centrs

Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area. Turnkey renovation: from €600/m². Parquet sanding and varnishing: from €23/m². Plasterboard partition wall: from €12/m². For office renovation the price is by estimate. Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

Example: a 70 m² Art Nouveau apartment in a full renovation: 70 × €280 = from €19,600 (labour). Sanding and varnishing 30 m² of parquet: 30 × €23 = from €690. The total changes with the amount of historic detail, the ceiling height and whether the wiring and risers are changed. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.