Case study: The Housing Agency, Chemnitz, Germany
Feasibility studies as a means to highlight commercial potential of derelict structures.
Challenges • Support the renovation of derelict structures that are outside of public ownership? • How to empower owners of such properties to take an interest in their renovation? • Aligning historic buildings with contemporary building standards? Intervention • In 2012 the city of Chemnitz established the Chemnitz Housing Agency, a not-for-profit initiative focussed on restoring the city’s vacant tenement structures to active use. • The Housing Agency primarily serves to facilitate and coordinate contact between building owners and potential users and investors. • With building owners permission, properties can be listed on the Agency’s dedicated property portal, where potential investors can discover new opportunities. • The Agency facilitates communication between the owner and potential investors, as well as the local planning department to ensure the smooth transfer and redevelopment of vacant properties into active use.
Short-Term Impact • Contact with the Agency compelled several owners to enact their own plans for restoration works, at no additional cost to the city. • By listing properties in a publicly accessible portal the Agency helped raise awareness amongst local residents and stakeholders. Long-Term Impact • The Housing Agency has facilitated the transfer of some 50 buildings into new ownership, the majority of which have begun or will soon begin renovation. • Bringing these sites to market has helped reduce speculative land hoarding practices. • Through their continued activity the Agency has become a central collector and distributor of information for historic buildings, beyond that which would be possible for standard public or private actor.
Chemnitz
• The City of Chemnitz benefits from a variety of Wilhelminian-style residential buildings constructed in the early 20th century. • After World War II the city lacked the resources to maintain these buildings and they fell into disrepair. • In the 1990’s municipal authorities began a concentrated effort to redevelop and restore the city’s urban districts. • However, public resources could only go so far and new tools were needed to bring privately owned derelict buildings into productive use.
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