Chemnitz

Chemnitz is a stable city, has been growing slightly in recent years; before it was a shrinking city; main share of the growing population are students and asylum seekers. There is a technological centre with following industries: automotive and supplying industry, information technology, mechanical and plant engineering; leading place of research and development, e. g. in micro system technology, the city’s evergrowing industrial culture, characterised by small and mediumsized businesses, lives off constant innovation and modernisation, one of the (economically) fastest growing cities in Germany.

Due to the economic decline in the 1990ies vacant (former) industrial buildings and housing can be found everywhere in the city. Many of the vacant buildings are in poor conditions and partly a public security hazard whereon the city administration has to correspond. The vacant buildings cause a negative impact on their environment through the disturbance in the cityscape, a negative image and trading down processes. This situation leads also to public criticism towards the city administration how they handle the issue. As the economic development is not that strong, there is not an increasing demand for commercial and housing space. This hampers to bring the vacant buildings in use, in particular from the economic point of view. In addition there are limited funds to support the rehabilitation and re-use of vacant buildings, in particular which present a cultural heritage value.