The state-owned Ethiopian Electric Utility will be vacating its longtime headquarters building in Addis Ababa and relocating elsewhere, according to an announcement by Adanech Abiebie, the Mayor of Ethiopia's capital city.
During a site inspection of ongoing urban regeneration projects, Mayor Adanech revealed plans to redevelop the iconic "Electric Hinsta" building located in downtown Piassa Square as a commercial and retail complex containing shops, cafes, and other services.
Built on 3,543 square meters of land and constructed 70 years ago, the structure has served as the electric company's offices and been a recognizable feature of the city skyline for decades.
As part of the municipal government's broader urban regeneration initiative, the mayor's office has initiated converting the prime downtown property to a more publicly-oriented use. Renovation work is already underway on the building under Addis Ababa's corridor redevelopment project.
While details of the redevelopment scheme were shared during the site visit, Ethiopian Electric CEO Shiferaw Telila noted that company leadership has yet to receive an official notification about vacating the premises. "So far we have not been told such information," he told BirrMetrics.
The conversion of the historic Electric Hinsta building would see it join other older structures in Piassa Square that were recently demolished. Preserving historical structures while modernizing the city has been a challenge for Addis Ababa's urban planning efforts.
Some critics argue that too many older buildings with cultural significance have been demolished, while supporters counter that strategic redevelopment is needed to attract businesses and investment.
As plans were announced to convert its current headquarters in Piassa Square to a shopping mall, the EEU is already underway with constructing a new tower.
Situated in the Kirkos District, the upcoming 36-story building is located along the corridor between Mexico Square and the Sarbet area. With a budget of 1.2 billion Birr, EEU expects construction of the 4,500 square meter tower to be finalized within four years.
The new headquarters compound encompasses 10,000 square meters of land in the growing commercial hub of Kirkos. When complete, it will feature workspaces designed to support the expanding operations of Ethiopia's national electric company.
