City economy
A place for community and creativity
The history of the Stadtwirtschaft dates back to 1891, when the first city cleaning plant was built on Chemnitz's Sonnenberg. As an intervention area and maker hub for the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025, the city has gradually renovated the approximately 5,000 square metre ensemble with five buildings and 6,000 square metres of courtyard space in close cooperation with the users. The result is a lively centre that combines art, culture, social affairs and education with creative business and crafts. At least 60 per cent of the space is open to projects for the common good and up to 40 per cent to creative, commercial uses. More than half of the building space has already been let or is being let. In 2025, around 70 regional, national and international events took place as part of short-term lettings.
A place for community and creativity
Community rooms, a district warehouse, neighbourhood canteen and courtyards complete the space. The first creative people moved into "Haus D" at Jakobstraße 46 back in 2018. The open workshops of the Stadtfabrikanten and the Bandcamp went into operation there. The users design the space together with the city of Chemnitz and actively contribute their ideas. House A has a new event hall for a maximum of 199 people with an adjoining large foyer. In House B, the Stadtwerkstadt and a showroom are available for short-term hire.
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Chronology
August 2025: Opening with courtyard party
The Stadtwirtschaft was officially opened with the courtyard festival "Vom Wimmeln und Wuseln". After several years of construction and development work, the approximately 130-year-old site now presents itself as an open creative quarter with workshops, event spaces and the neighbourhood canteen. The largest of the 30 intervention areas of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 offers around 5,000 square metres of space for associations, creative industries and crafts - and has become a lively meeting place on the Sonnenberg.
September 2024: First rental agreement signed
With the opening of the new workshop rooms in House A, the Stadtfabrikanten e. V. association moved into the Stadtwirtschaft - as the first tenant of the future Makerhub. The new FabLab was created on around 360 square metres with state-of-the-art workshops for textile, wood and metal processing, which are now barrier-free and open to all interested parties. The city of Chemnitz has thus created a central location for craftsmanship, creativity and innovation in the heart of the Capital of Culture.
May 2024: Bridge excavation creates barrier-free connection from Jakobstraße
Construction work on the Stadtwirtschaft reached an important milestone with the raising of the new bridge. The barrier-free connection from Jakobstraße now provides access to building complex A with the event hall, neighbourhood canteen and the FabLab of Stadtfabrikanten e. V. This has created a central entrance to the new creative quarter.
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May 2023: House A current construction phase, House B on the way to the construction site
The second construction phase of the Stadtwirtschaft began with the start of work on House A. The first creatives have been active in House D at Jakobstraße 46 since 2018 - run by Kreativer Chemnitz. At the same time, the City of Chemnitz organised workshops to develop the future design and use of the area together with users and residents. In May 2023, the city council decided to renovate House B, which can be used as a workspace for the creative industries in the future.
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October 2022: Start of construction in the Stadtwirtschaft
The structural development of the Stadtwirtschaft began with the start of construction work on House A. Most of the building is being carefully renovated, while heavily damaged areas in timber construction have had to make way. In its place, the neighbourhood canteen is being built - the future meeting point and distribution building for the area. This marks the start of the gradual transformation of the former depot into an open space for creativity and encounters.
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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.
