Lovers of quality cinema sighed with relief on Wednesday, as it emerged that employment pension company Ilmarinen and hotel and restaurant owners Kämp group had decided to preserve the two theatres presently operating as well as adding one new one to the Maxim cinema establishment.
Originally Ilmarinen and Kämp Group had planned to build a new hotel in the premises, located in Kluuvi, one of central Helsinki’s most exclusive blocks. According to the plan, the main theatre, Maxim 1, was to give way to the planned hotel.
However, according to Wednesday’s announcement the total cinema seat number will be increased to around 640, with a new, third theatre to be added to the two older ones. Around 30 high-end hotel apartments will be also built in the building, as an extension of nearby Hotel Kämp -- made famous as the favourite watering hole of cultural figures such as Jean Sibelius and Akseli Gallen-Kallela.
“We’ve really worked hard to reconcile in the best possible way all the different views that have been brought up with the development of Maxim. We think we have now succeeded. This solution would ensure the cultural historical, townscape-related and economical interests,” said Esko Torsti, who works with Ilmarinen’s investment branch.
Cinema lovers received the news with enthusiasm.
“This is absolutely fantastic, almost too good to be true,” posted the founder of the “Save Maxim” Facebook group, Lauri Kerola.
