URBACT III - Revitalisation of spinning machine construction
Initial situation
The Altchemnitz commercial location is anchored in the Chemnitz 2020 urban development concept (SEKo). With regard to the provision of new commercial space, the traditional pilot site Altchemnitz was analysed in a spatial study in 2014. In the specialist section on brownfield sites in the SEKo, revitalisation as a commercial and service location and owner activation are named as core objectives. The approximately 80-hectare sub-area was included in the ERDF funding area. In order to meet the growing demand for commercial space while at the same time preserving cultural monuments, the city administration selected the spinning machine factory on Altchemnitzer Strasse as a pilot project for revitalisation. The former factory complex is an important example of Chemnitz's industrial history and characterises the cityscape. The reactivation of this existing property will strengthen the identity of the traditional old industrial site. The industrial heritage buildings of Altchemnitz and its architectural heritage are important elements of Chemnitz's profile as a modern industrial city. Sustainability and the preservation of resources are high priorities in urban development and urban planning. Instead of promoting new settlements on "greenfield sites", we need to put the focus back on the city centre and return to it. With this in mind, the city had drawn up a concept for the reorganisation of the target area and appointed an area manager.
Location:
The location is characterised by its proximity to the city centre and city park. The main campus of Chemnitz University of Technology is not far from the target property, but is separated from it by railway tracks.
Address:
Altchemnitzer Straße 27
09120 Chemnitz
Surface area:
Plot of land (private): 4.7 ha, floor area of all buildings: approx. 36,000 m²
Condition:
The large former factory complex consists of eleven 1-6 storey buildings dating from the beginning of the 20th century to the 1960s. The T-shaped main building on Altchemnitzer Straße, which characterises the townscape, is a listed building. Since its closure in the mid-1990s, the site has undergone disorganised urban development, with hardly any investment and only essential repairs carried out. Some of the buildings are in a poor condition and the vacancy rate is around 60 %.
