The historic sanatoriums in Baldone and Kemeri have long stood empty. The building in Kemeri has been restored on the outside but is still waiting for an investor. The situation in Baldone is worse: the former health resort has been closed for years and is deteriorating, but now it has a new hope—project work has begun. A boarding house, hotel, and rehabilitation center will be built on the site of the sanatorium. The investment volume is estimated at 10–12 million euros, reports Latvian Radio.
Serious changes are expected in the area. The new owner, Baldones kūrorts LLC, plans to renovate the nine-story building into a hotel, construct a boarding house, and improve the territory.
"The project involves the reconstruction of the former dormitory of the sanatorium, the construction of new low-rise apartment buildings, as well as the conservation of the former treatment building. This building is not a cultural monument, but it is quite beautiful and expressive, and we, as a municipality, have also paid attention to this," said the territorial planning specialist of the Kekava region, Pauls Grants.
"The total investment in the project amounts to 10–12 million euros. They are intended for the development of the sanatorium in Baldone and the construction of a new boarding house for the elderly. The investments cover both construction work and landscaping, as well as the purchase of rehabilitation equipment, as well as solutions in the field of infrastructure and energy efficiency. The project is envisioned as a modern and sustainable complex with a high energy efficiency class A+," explained company representative Andrey Chernyavsky.
The rehabilitation center will be located in a historic building, which will be extended with a swimming pool and treatment rooms.
The project is being developed by the Diana Zalane Design Bureau. One of the buildings in a degraded state—the nine-story dormitory—is planned to be converted into a hotel.
Work may begin as early as next autumn. The commissioning is scheduled for early 2028. The boarding house will create about 120 jobs, while the rehabilitation center will provide another 60–80.
Kemeri remains stagnant
Meanwhile, the sanatorium in Kemeri (Jūrmala) remains stagnant. Although ten years ago the city and Park Hotel Ķemeri agreed on the restoration of the building and park, only one party has fulfilled its obligations.
"Look—on the outside, it seems to have a brick facade. The windows are all blackened—the house is already rotting from the inside. There is probably water in the basement. No one really knows. Everyone says that everything is fine there. If the state does not take control of this building, everything will collapse," says the chairman of the Kemeri Residents' Association, Martiņš Stulpinš.
According to the head of the city's Development Department, Gunde Ose, the last communication with the owners took place in August:
"In the letter we received, it is stated that by the end of this year, there may potentially be some decisions. What exactly—I cannot say, it was not specified, but 'Park Hotel Ķemeri' promised to inform us immediately and, among other things, to organize a face-to-face meeting."
Investors continue negotiations, but the municipality does not name specific names and has acknowledged that it does not have the tools to expedite the process.
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