My.our.Jena
Developing quality of life in the city
Key project 11 - City center project
Action approach
Jena's city center still offers possibilities and opportunities to provide significant impetus for urban development with underused, underutilized and future vacant areas. Concepts and plans are available for the inner-city locations of Eichplatz, Inselplatz, Engelplatz and the former Bachstraße hospital site in order to upgrade these areas in terms of urban space and function. The aforementioned tasks are already anchored as key measures in the district development concept for the west/city center.
As the city center contributes significantly to the self-image and identity of the citizens with their city, these future tasks must be accompanied by continuous public participation. The construction projects will significantly change the cityscape as well as functional allocations and lead to restrictions for years during the construction period. It therefore seems all the more important to accompany this process proactively and transparently, to inform citizens and to stage the future construction sites Eichplatz, Inselplatz and Engelplatz. The areas can be used at an early stage in cooperation with cultural partners with interim uses so that the spaces can be experienced. With public relations and participation work, there are also good opportunities to involve citizens and stakeholders not only as providers of ideas, but also to involve external partners in the implementation.
One of the city's main tasks is to discuss urban planning designs for squares that shape the cityscape with the urban community and also to discuss the functions of the future center. Eichplatz, for example, could become a central meeting and exhibition space for science, business and urban society as a future showcase for the city.
Objectives
- Urban upgrading and revitalization of the city centre
- Revitalization of central areas
Implementation status
- Completion of new building for Ernst Abbe Library and Citizens' Services (March 2024)
- Ongoing construction activities on the Inselplatz campus
- Eichplatz construction site A: Statutory resolution (24/2341-BV dated 24.04.2024), contract awarded to Strabag Real Estate, implementation currently on hold
Coordinator
N. N.
Further information
Key project 12 - Saale experience
Approach
The Saale runs through the city of Jena as a natural element and performs important urban climatic functions. Its potential as a local recreational area with leisure and sports facilities is gradually being developed. The formerly overgrown and partially inaccessible floodplain areas are being developed on the basis of the existing Saale framework plan from 2009 as well as more in-depth areas of investigation such as the sports and leisure framework plan. The aim is to develop the Saale and its river landscapes as recreational and leisure areas that can be experienced, while at the same time safeguarding the floodplain with its natural areas worthy of protection. The action plan, which takes into account the various interests of recreation, nature conservation, agriculture, flood protection, mobility and urban climate, serves as the basis. Further implementation is planned and includes additional renaturation measures and a continuous cycle path along the Saale.
In connection with the upgrading of the Saale floodplain, the planned measures are to be continued in accordance with the framework plan "Sport and Leisure on the Saale", including the construction of the new stadium.
Objectives
- High quality of life
- River landscapes along the Saale that can be experienced
Implementation status
- New stadium adhoc-Arena (opening July 2024)
- Redesign of Landfeste (2021), also accompanying project for BUGA 2021
- Completion of the Saaleweg "In den Jenaischen Weiden" (2020)
- Redesign of the area around the Lichtenhain Bridge (2020)
Coordinator
Anya Schwamberger, Department 3, Urban Development Department
Further information
Key project 13 - District center
Approach
In a large city like Jena, in addition to a strong center, there is also a need for district centers that are close to residential areas, which take on supply functions and also serve as meeting places. For this reason, a wide range of functions from retail and services to education and culture should be positioned and arranged in the urban space in such a way that well-designed informal meeting spaces with a quality of stay are created. The district centers formulated in the retail concept have retail and service functions that have a magnetic effect. These in turn are to be seen as a starting point for the addition of further offers as well as urban design measures.
- A small-scale feasibility study should be carried out to determine the functional and design potential for upgrading the northern local supply area. To date, the location has mainly taken on retail supply functions.
- The measures already initiated in the Karl-Liebknecht-Straße (East) redevelopment area should be continued and supplemented with further focal points for functional upgrading. An update of the current framework plan is recommended.
- A number of measures have been implemented in the Winzerla district center, resulting in a high design quality along the water axis. The measures in the urban redevelopment and social city area should be continued.
Lobeda has two district centers that essentially cover the shopping function: Lobeda East and West. There is a need for action in terms of urban space, primarily due to the barrier effect of the main roads, including the extensive traffic junction Stadtrodaer Straße. The measures in the urban redevelopment and social city area are to be continued. New focal points are the urban connection of the university hospital and the handling of traffic areas. The networking of important functional locations in Lobeda East and Lobeda West must be further promoted.
Objectives
- Strengthening local supply and meeting functions of urban spaces
Implementation status
- Consolidation of district management in Lobeda and Winzerla
- Expansion of local amenities in Lobeda East with the completion of the new building on Salvador-Allende-Platz/Ebereschenstraße (July 2023)
- Completion of the refurbishment of the apartment blocks in Ziegesarstrasse 1-19 (in particular the refurbishment of apartments no. 9-19 in the Smart City model project)
- Sustainable refurbishment of the 11-storey residential development on Salvador-Allende-Platz
- Further development of the area around the Winzerla water axis
- Planning work for the project-related development plan at the Columbus-Center
Coordinator
Manuel Meyer, Department 3, Urban Development Department
Further information
Key project 14 - Social participation
Action approach
Strategic management is required for the implementation of this integrated urban development concept and for the consolidation of the set topics. It acts as an interface between planning, sustainable financing and implementation. This requires close and continuous cooperation with the Budget, Controlling and Organizational Development departments as well as the Communication and Internal Administration teams.
The tasks of strategic management include
- Ensuring interdisciplinary administrative communication
- Preparing relevant topics for the public relations department
- Ensuring the exchange between future topics in an annual steering meeting/future forums
- Funding management and financing
- Consolidation of monitoring data on urban development and evaluation
Goals
- Implementation and consolidation of the future topics
- Promotion of the interdisciplinary integrated approach
Implementation status
- Updating the "Inclusive Jena" action plan (planned for 2025)
- Initiation of the "Jena Prevention Chain" project (start: 2023)
- Ongoing education reporting
- Establishment of the Jena area profile atlas as an instrument for municipal statistical needs assessment and continuous updating of data
- Implementation and completion of the project Education, Economy, Work in the Neighborhood (BIWAQ)
- Implementation of the Thuringian Initiative for Integration, Sustainability, Cooperation and Activation (ThINKA) in Jena Winzerla (start: 2022)
- Resolution on the municipal poverty prevention strategy in 2019 (19/2219-BV), currently being updated
Coordinator
Daniel Meier, Department 4 - Family, Education and Social Affairs, Interdisciplinary Tasks Unit
Further information
- Jena area profile atlas
- Integration concept (PDF)
- Poverty prevention
- Living in Jena - results of the 2023 citizen survey (PDF)
Key project 15 - Climate adaptation
Action approach
The climate is changing worldwide. This makes it necessary to adapt to the consequences locally in the future. Summers are potentially becoming warmer, storms more severe, winters wetter but still long and cold. All stakeholders are required to prepare for the changing climate conditions with a sense of proportion and the necessary seriousness and without delay. Early prevention can ensure that the necessary adaptation to the consequences of climate change is not forced by natural disasters, but is achieved through a gradual transition in a planned and forward-looking manner.
With the Jena Climate Adaptation Strategy (JenKAS), a city-wide, integrated strategy for adapting to the consequences of climate change has already been developed. As a result of this strategy, individual measures and projects are to be implemented and projects initiated in a continuous process. It is always important to carefully weigh up the cost of measures to prevent, avoid or at least cope with climate change in a sustainable way on the one hand and the cost of aftercare or insuring against the damage on the other.
The key project is an interdisciplinary and ongoing task of the city, which develops and implements suitable adaptation measures in a city-wide context. These include, among other things:
- Further developing and networking urban green spaces as an essential contribution to the quality of life in the city
- Target group-oriented approach (focus on affected population groups)
- Planning and implementation of climate adaptation measures in public open spaces
- Adaptation measures for public buildings, daycare centers, schools, etc.
- Preservation of cold air corridors
- Further implementation of the city of short distances
- Continuous exchange between stakeholders and development of new projects
- Informing the public about climate change and climate adaptation
Goals
- Maintaining and expanding the necessary green infrastructure to adapt to climate change in a balanced way between residential, commercial, scientific, supply, leisure, social and health facilities
Implementation status
- Regular meetings of the JenKAS working group as part of the continuation process
- Completed climate adaptation projects:
- Heat action plan (2025, 25/0332-BV)
- Urban climate concept for the city of Jena (2025, 24/0130-BV)
- Green climate oases in urban areas (2024)
- Urban and street trees in a changing climate - urban tree concept (2016)
- Investigation of heat pollution at daycare centers and elementary school (2017); numerous proposed measures have already been implemented
- Successive implementation of green climate oases
- Climate-friendly redesign of Ernst-Abbe-Platz (currently in progress)
- Construction of drinking water fountains (currently being implemented)
- Cooperation with the state of Thuringia/TLUBN, e.g. for mobile measurement trips on municipal waste disposal vehicles and streetcars
Coordinator
Daniel Knopf, Climate Adaptation Coordinator, Climate Team, Department 4