"Friedrich-Zucker-Straße residential and commercial quarter" development plan procedure suspended for the time being

The plans for the planned residential and commercial quarter on the site of the former Columbus Center have been put on hold for the time being. The background to this is that the developer has announced that no agreement has yet been reached between itself and the landowner regarding the necessary access to the site. This means that the developer currently lacks an important prerequisite and legal basis for the continuation of the development plan procedure in accordance with Section 12 BauGB.

Securing the status of the procedure

In order to safeguard the planning status to date - including the draft, explanatory statement, ordinance and existing expert reports - the developer and the Department of Urban Development and Environmental Protection have agreed to temporarily suspend the procedure. A continuation is planned as soon as the necessary requirements are met again

"The project has the potential to significantly advance the development of the Friedrich-Zucker-Straße district in terms of urban planning. It is therefore all the more regrettable that the legal planning requirements are not currently in place," says Dirk Lange, Head of Urban Development and Environment for the City of Jena. "It is important for us to secure the results achieved so far so that the process can be continued without delay as soon as the framework conditions are right again."

The project

The approximately 5,900 square meter site was to be developed into a mixed-use quarter with residential, commercial, retail, medical practices and offices - including underground parking and an outdoor area with a high quality of stay.

The basis for this was an urban planning study commissioned by the city of Jena in 2023. The process was initiated in March 2023, with early public participation taking place in June 2023.