City economy
Intervention areas - places of awakening
Over the next few years, a cultural incubator called "Die Stadtwirtschaft" will be created on the site of the former city cleaning plant, which was built in 1891 in Chemnitz's working-class neighbourhood of Sonnenberg. This will be the nucleus of creativity. This intervention area will be developed in several construction phases into a place for creative makers and with many offers for the neighbourhood and the entire city. To this end, the city council adopted a development concept in 2021, which will be implemented in phases.
The development of the site in three phases
- Phase one "Acquire + Display" comprises the short-term development of the site. The first pioneer uses and existing tenants are to establish themselves on the site. New entrances with "gatehouses" indicate the opening of the site into the neighbourhood.
- In phase two "Supplement + Expand", further existing buildings will be remodelled and renovated. The site will be extended by adding storeys and bridges and supplemented by utilising adjacent areas and creating new green spaces. Access to the site will be created via roof terraces, neighbouring gardens, stairs and ramps on all sides. By 2025, a place with space for makers of the Capital of Culture will be created.
- With phase three "densification + stabilisation", the urban economy will be established in the long term. Private investment can supplement the existing buildings and close the edges of the blocks.
House A is the current construction phase - House B is on its way to the construction site
The second construction phase, "House A", was started in November 2022. The first creative people moved into "House D" at Jakobstraße 46 back in 2018; this section is operated by "Kreative Chemnitz".
In the coming months, the city of Chemnitz will be hosting several workshops to develop the future design of the courtyards, entrances and city workshops as well as the future communal operation together with users, interested parties and the neighbourhood population with funding as a "National Urban Development Project".
In May 2023, the city council approved the low-threshold refurbishment of House B. The aim of the refurbishment is to make the elongated brick building less invasive and with as little effort as possible so that all areas can be used and rented out as workspaces for the creative industries.
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Facts and figures
- On the municipal property between Augustusburger Strasse, Zietenstrasse, Jakobstrasse and Schüffnerstrasse - in the centre of the "Sonnenberg redevelopment area" - three courtyards connect five buildings with approx. 6,000 square metres of floor space, which have only been partially used to date.
- The existing tenants will be brought together with future users and the neighbourhood. Everyone can participate. The development scenario provides a good basis for this.
- The first sections with the building D Jakobstr. 46 are already a reality and were made possible with the help of European funding and the city's "KRACH - Kreativraum Chemnitz" project.
Current
(05.09.2024) First rental agreement signed in Stadtwirtschaft
At the beginning of September 2024, an important step was taken for the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz: The first completed workshop spaces in House A of the Stadtwirtschaft were handed over to the Stadtfabrikanten e. V. association. This handover marks the conclusion of the first rental agreement in the future Makerhub Stadtwirtschaft, a central intervention area for the European Capital of Culture.
The Stadtfabrikanten e. V. association is thus moving into larger and more modern premises for the FabLab, which was previously housed in a domicile on Sonnenberg. The move will improve the spatial situation as well as the working conditions. In a few weeks, the new workshops for textile, wood and metal processing will open their doors to both members of the organisation and other interested parties.
The renovated area of 363 square metres includes several workshop rooms that are barrier-free and now offer daylight. New polycarbonate elements with glass doors replace the old workshop doors and invite visitors to come in. The rooms have been technically modernised, including new flooring, power supply, heating, internet access and sanitary facilities. A lift connects the FabLab with the event room on the upper floor.
With the handover of these new premises, the city of Chemnitz is setting another important accent as part of its nomination as European Capital of Culture 2025. With the new Makerhub Stadtwirtschaft, the Stadtfabrikanten e. V. association will make a significant contribution to promoting creativity, craftsmanship and innovation in the city.
(15.05.2024) Bridge lifting creates barrier-free connection from Jakobstraße to Stadtwirtschaft
On 15 May 2024, the construction work on the Stadtwirtschaft reached an important milestone. The new bridge as a barrier-free connection from Jakobstraße to the Stadtwirtschaft was lifted into the bridge piers. This will provide access to building complex A, which will offer many rooms for new users as well as an event hall and a neighbourhood canteen. Building A is due to be completed by August 2024. The FabLab of Stadtfabrikanten e. V. is currently moving into the already completed rooms on the ground floor.
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(02.11.2022) Network meeting of the intervention areas
The representatives of the Capital of Culture 2025 intervention areas regularly exchange information about their projects and common topics during implementation. In October, the local network was a guest at the Stadtwirtschaft. In addition to project manager Tina Winkel from Garagencampus, architect Barbara Graupner from the future Welcome Centre in the former Hartmannfabrik and Grit Stillger and Julia Kunze from the project management team at Stadtwirtschaft, the team from Kreatives Chemnitz e.V. also joined the network.
(02.11.2022) TU Dresden students on an excursion
On a sunny day in October, a week-long excursion by students from the TU Dresden's Faculty of Architecture through brownfield sites in the Chemnitz region ended at the Stadtwirtschaft am Sonnenberg. The students want to work together with institutes of the TU Chemnitz on revitalising concepts for such places in the surrounding area. The concept for the Stadtwirtschaft was presented as a good example.
The students learnt a lot about the importance of the development of such historical places for creative makers and their integration into the redevelopment of entire urban districts. Using a practical example, they were able to see how architectural heritage can be brought back into new use through simple refurbishment measures and careful additions.
(02.09.2022) Stadtwirtschaft has new implementation partner for further design
On 2 September, the development scenario was handed over to Kreative Chemnitz e.V., the new implementation partner of Stadtwirtschaft, together with KAPOK Architekten. In 2020, KAPOK Architekten laid the foundations for the development of the Stadtwirtschaft over the next few years, in particular up to the Capital of Culture year 2025. The city council approved the concept for this Capital of Culture intervention area. Planning for the refurbishment of the 2nd construction phase of House A has now been finalised and construction is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.
Archive: Press releases on the city economy
The project is part of the overall measure "Urban Redevelopment East Chemnitz", which is funded by the urban redevelopment programme "Urban Redevelopment" and its successor programme "Growth and Sustainable Renewal" as well as by "National Urban Development Projects". With support from the federal and state governments, the considerable loss of urban development functions is being counteracted here and the revitalisation of a former municipal building yard is providing sustainable support for the preservation of an intact community.
