Espoon keskus is being revitalised – two hypermarkets, new housing and improved transport connections

Espoon keskus is set to receive two hypermarkets as the plans of both Kesko and HOK-Elanto move forward. HOK-Elanto is planning a new Prisma for the area. On Monday, 1 December, the City Board’s Business and Competitiveness Subcommittee will discuss the sale of a commercial and office plot, as well as a parking plot, to HOK-Elanto.

Two apartment buildings are also planned alongside Prisma, with smaller commercial spaces at street level to improve services and enliven the streetscape.

Kesko is expanding and renovating the Espoontori shopping centre property it owns. The office building at Asemakuja 2 will be removed to make way for the expansion. Demolition of the building has already started. The Kesko project will bring a K-Citymarket to Espoon keskus. According to current estimates, the hypermarket could be completed in late 2028.

“Residents have long hoped to see the area develop and gain new services, so it’s great to see these projects progressing,” says Mikko Kivinen, Project Director for Espoon keskus.

Public transport connections in Espoon keskus will be further improved once the new Espoo Rail Line, currently under construction, is completed. In the project, two new tracks are being built from Leppävaara to Kauklahti, which will reduce disruptions in commuter train services and allow for more frequent services. The new tracks between Espoon keskus and Leppävaara are expected to be taken into use in 2027.

A bus terminal will be built between Espoontori and the railway tracks, making it easy for passengers to transfer from one means of transport to another.

On the north side of the tracks, a building called Espoo House (Espoolaistentalo) is being planned, with facilities for city officials as well as services for residents.

“The development of the area is not only about Espoo House. The detailed plan for the Virastopiha block will progress next year. Housing is also being planned for the area, and pedestrian and cycling connections will be improved. Our aim is to ensure a diverse and vibrant urban environment,” says Kivinen.

Several infrastructure construction projects will soon begin in Espoon keskus, affecting local traffic arrangements. The Espoontori pipeline relocation project will start later this year and continue until November 2026. The project includes replacing the existing wastewater sewer and constructing smaller-scale water infrastructure, protective conduits for cables, and district heating lines serving the refurbished and expanded Espoontori shopping centre and the future bus terminal.

Temporary traffic arrangements will affect buses at both Asematori and Kirkkojärventie. The contractor and Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) will prepare a plan for the temporary arrangements and provide information later. There will also be changes to pedestrian and cycling routes, the location of the taxi stand, and parking.

Once the pipeline relocation works have begun, detailed planning of the street areas around the Espoontori block will continue. The planning area extends from Kamreerintie to the Reviisorinkatu roundabout. The area includes Siltakatu, the area between the blocks and the railway, and Asemakuja.

Plans include improving walking and cycling conditions, planting trees, repairing sunken areas and installing new lighting. A bus terminal is planned between the Espoontori block and the railway, and further east, a new street called Sihteerinkatu will be built along the tracks together with a new overpass across Espoonportti. The street plans will be presented at a residents’ event in the Entresse shopping centre on Tuesday 10 March 2026 at 17:00. The plans will be available for comments on the Otakantaa.fi service for two weeks in March 2026.

The stormwater sewer project for Kirkkojärventie–Pappilantie is expected to start in January 2026 and continue until the end of the year. The project includes building a flood-control stormwater sewer under both Kirkkojärventie and Pappilantie to serve the central areas on both sides of the railway, as well as replacing the street lights on Pappilantie. Traffic on the southern section of Pappilantie will be temporarily diverted via a detour. There will also be temporary changes to lane layouts and bus stop locations on Kirkkojärventie. The contractor will provide more information on traffic arrangements at a later stage.