“The Thuringian alliance ‘City Centers with a Future’ is a good example of how urban development, and in particular the development of city centers, is a shared responsibility of a broad range of stakeholders. The focus is on the exchange of information and supporting Thuringian municipalities in developing sustainable visions for our city centers that serve the common good,” said Infrastructure Minister Susanna Karawanskij.
“The major challenges facing city centers and the businesses located there, such as those in the retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors, after two years of existential crises, prompted the Erfurt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Erfurt) to initiate this action alliance. The immediate goal is to stabilize Thuringian city centers with tailored instruments and without bureaucratic hurdles. A strong restart is crucial for our local businesses, for the residents and visitors of a city, and therefore for the entire region,” summarizes Dr. Cornelia Haase-Lerch, CEO of the Erfurt Chamber of Industry and Commerce, regarding the goals of the local alliance.
The alliance's collaboration can point to a number of successes. In the first year, the focus was primarily on defining structures and working methods, identifying suitable thematic priorities and objectives, and acquiring additional network partners. The regionally varying conditions, which hindered a holistic, nationwide approach, proved particularly challenging in this context.
The unique character of each city center requires tailored solutions to address the challenges of local structural change. It also necessitates overarching ideas that can be implemented in many locations. Due to the diverse range of topics, the alliance divided into three working groups (WGs) focusing on "Addressing Vacancy Issues," "Climate," and "Urban Living." In addition to consolidating the results from these WGs, members discussed the strategic positioning of the alliance during network meetings. Furthermore, plans are underway to establish a dedicated office.
Results in the year-end review
Vacancy alters the overall urban landscape, diminishing the appeal of town centers. The "Working Group on Vacancy Management" therefore aims to contribute to the development of measures that promote successful management of vacancy, for example, through a guide with model solutions for municipal stakeholders. A further objective is to raise awareness of new, experimental usage concepts and the potential opportunities presented by vacancy. To provide greater clarity, a practical definition of vacancy, allowing for differentiation, will also be developed.
To improve the quality of life in Thuringia's city centers and increase their resilience to the effects of climate change, measures are needed that integrate climate protection and climate adaptation. The "Climate" working group has identified a wide range of measures for this purpose: expanding green and blue infrastructure, refining and linking existing funding instruments, initiating pilot projects, and involving regional value creation.
The working group "Living and Housing in the City" develops future ideas for urban community life. In addition to evaluating funding instruments, it promotes networking among stakeholders and the exchange of experience and information. The working group has compiled a catalog of potential measures and their funding opportunities. Currently, several Thuringian ministries have been asked to review and supplement this catalog.
The three working groups cannot be considered strictly separate in terms of content; rather, the aim is to actively create synergies and consider the tasks of the working groups together. Further information on the work of the action alliance can be found on the Website published.
Background information:
The challenges that structural change poses for the future development of our city centers are enormous: demographic shifts, changing consumer behavior, and digitalization. The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified this effect. New strategies and tailored solutions are needed by municipalities to prevent functional decline, maintain the long-term vitality of our city centers, and ensure their attractiveness as public spaces.
At the political level, the topic of inner-city development was already addressed last year at the Conference of Ministers for Construction (BMK) and the "Advisory Board for Inner Cities" at the federal level. The BMK report "Perspectives for the Development of Inner Cities," with its corresponding recommendations for action, is now available.
To meet the requirements at the state level in all Thuringian cities and municipalities, the Thuringian Alliance "City Centers with a Future" was founded on June 8, 2021. The alliance was formed under the leadership of the Thuringian Ministry for Infrastructure and Agriculture and by the Thuringian Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and consists of a large number of different associations and initiatives involved in city center development.
