First construction measures around the Eichplatz

City and municipal utilities in talks with traders, restaurateurs and business people

The first preparatory work for the development of Eichplatz is necessary this year. They serve to clear the building site and thus create the prerequisites for the inner-city development project that will be decided in 2020. As a result of the development, Stadtwerke Jena Netze is planning to relocate a district heating line, archaeological excavations are planned on behalf of the city of Jena, and the state of Thuringia is simultaneously planning to relocate IT lines to the future Inselplatz campus. Construction work is planned primarily in the area of Rathausgasse, Kirchplatz, Weigelstraße and Johannisstraße, as well as in sections on Eichplatz itself. Initial work will begin as early as mid-March in Kollegiengasse/Access Eichplatz. The various measures will be spread over the year in different construction phases.

About the scope of the planned work, Martin Fischer of the Central Project Management of the City of Jena informed interested downtown merchants, restaurateurs and traders this evening (March 7). The digital meeting was attended by entrepreneurs from Rathausgasse, Kirchplatz, Weigelstraße and Johannisstraße. Also present were Mayor Christian Gerlitz, Deputy District Mayor for Jena-Zentrum Dr. Reinhard Bartsch, City Manager Kati Cornelia Fischer-Haasis, and representatives of Stadtwerke Jena Netze, the State of Thuringia, JenaWirtschaft, JenaKultur and Kommunale Immobilien Jena (KIJ).

The aim was to involve the tradespeople in the planning process at an early stage and to find out what their needs were for a construction process that was as "compatible" as possible for all sides. It is a matter of concern to those responsible for construction to meet the wishes of the downtown merchants and restaurateurs who have been severely affected by the two-year pandemic as far as possible. Numerous suggestions were taken on board in a lively discussion. As far as possible, these are now being incorporated into the detailed construction plans.

The declared aim of the developers is to ensure that the spring market (10 to 19 June, including open Sunday on 12 June) and the Old Town Festival (16 to 25 September, including open Sunday on 18 September) planned around Eichplatz can take place without any major restrictions for customers and visitors. The areas for outdoor catering in the area of the western Johannisstrasse should also be restricted as little as possible during the summer months.

First measures to clear the construction site start in March 2022

The first work to clear the construction site for the Eichplatz development is already necessary this year. Stadtwerke Jena Netze will have to relocate a whole series of supply lines from Eichplatz to surrounding streets. Work will start on March 14 with sewer construction work in Kollegiengasse and at the foot of the JenTower. The largest single measure is the relocation of the district heating pipeline currently running across Eichplatz to Johannisstrasse. It is to be implemented in several smaller construction phases between May and November. At the same time, electricity, gas and drinking water lines, sewers and IT cables will be relocated and renewed. In addition, archaeological excavations are planned on Eichplatz from mid-June to the end of November on behalf of the city of Jena. Parallel to the measures described above, the state of Thuringia is building an IT link for the future Inselplatz campus in the Kirchplatz/Weigelstraße/Rathausgasse area. Further information will follow as soon as concrete construction phases and construction times have been determined.

Background

Construction work is scheduled to start in 2023 on the first construction area A of the Eichplatz site, which will include three high-rise buildings. Before that, building rights must be created in the coming months with the project-related development plan.

Information on the Eichplatz project can be found at www.eichplatzareal.de. The latest information on the municipal utility's construction projects can be found at www.stadtwerke-jena-netze.de/baustellen.