The US Embassy in Oslo confirmed the sale this week of the building in Oslo that housed it for nearly 60 years. The embassy moved last spring to a larger and more secure site outside the city center.
As reported earlier, the building designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen was sold to investment firm Fredensborg AS, controlled by the billionaire adventurer Ivar Tollefsen. The embassy wouldn’t reveal the selling price, set after a bidding process, but it’s been estimated at around USD 450 million.
Jim DeHart, the embassy’s top official in the absence of an ambassador, claimed Fredensborg would “appreciate the legacy of the former embassy.” DeHart also expressed appreciation to historic preservation officials in Oslo, for “working with us on a draft protection order that protects key elements of the building and provides flexibility for Fredensborg to shape the property for the 21st century.”
newsinenglish.no staff
