Quartier 22: City of Jena takes city center construction project to the next phase

At its meeting on 17.12.2025, Jena City Council confirmed the project-related development plan for "Quartier 22" in the Steinweg/Frauengasse area. This means the project can be presented to the public at the beginning of 2026.

"Quartier 22 fills a gap in the middle of the city. A lively part of Jena with apartments, green spaces and short distances is to be created here. Our aim is to significantly upgrade the area at the entrance to the city and integrate it well into the existing surroundings," explains Dirk Lange, Head of Urban Development and Environment.

Public participation

The draft development plan is expected to be available online from mid-January to mid-February 2026 and can be viewed in Department 3 (Am Anger 26). During this phase, citizens can once again provide comments and ask questions. The city will invite people to a public information event to mark the start of the consultation.

Back in 2018, the city council decided to draw up a development plan for the site, which is currently largely undeveloped. Residents, interested parties and authorities were able to get involved in two participation rounds in 2019 and 2021. Numerous comments were incorporated into the planning - including a significant reduction in the height of the planned high-rise building. Due to a change of planning office and the revision of the design, which resulted in a significant reduction in the height of the high point, a second early public consultation was also required in order to receive comments on the revised concept. A new, further developed design is now available on this basis.

What is to be created in Quartier 22

The project comprises four buildings with different functions:

• modern apartments for families,

• micro and shared apartments,

• commercial and office space,

• an underground car park and bicycle garages as well as

• a large roof garden that is available to residents.

A total of 173 apartments are to be built. The mobility concept focuses on short distances and plenty of space for bicycles: around 260 bicycle parking spaces - including storage facilities for cargo bikes - are planned. The existing open parking spaces that characterize the Steinweg area will thus be replaced in the long term.

Various specialist reports are also being published to accompany the project, which have examined traffic, noise, daylight, microclimate and the subsoil, for example.