This evening, Mayor Dagmar Ruscheinsky, Mayor Thomas Kütter and Dr Christoph Dittrich, General Director of Chemnitz Municipal Theatre, presented the current planning status and prospects for the future development of the theatre location at a public information event.
The aim was to provide transparent information about the process to date, the associated challenges and the opportunities and risks of possible locations and to outline the next steps.
The City of Chemnitz had initially prepared a resolution proposal for the location decision. This included the theatre on Zieschestraße with its extension, the potential areas at the Spinnbau, the current interim venue for drama and puppet theatre at Chemnitz Theatre, as well as other options. The city council's parliamentary groups and the supervisory board called for an in-depth comparative analysis of the Zieschestraße and Spinnbau sites as a basis for decision-making.
External consultants from the internationally renowned Drees & Sommer office were brought in to draw up a comprehensive comparison, taking into account objective economic parameters as well as the quality of the location and building.
Drees & Sommer also reviewed the rough cost calculations prepared by the City of Chemnitz, checked their plausibility and expanded on them.
The results show the following investment costs: a refurbishment of the theatre at the old location, including an extension for the puppet theatre and studio stage, would cost around €69 million (gross).
The construction of a new theatre at the Spinnbau theatre quarter, including the use of the existing puppet theatre and studio stage, would incur costs of approx. 56 million euros (gross)*.
The cost development for the renovation of the Schauspielhaus at the old location, which was originally estimated at 34.2 million euros (gross) in 2024, resulted from the development of construction costs (construction price index), the consideration of the risk potential for an existing renovation and the expansion for the puppet theatre and studio stage.
The question of a sustainable location for the Chemnitz theatre has been a key issue for the city of Chemnitz for several years. Many Chemnitz residents associate personal experiences with the theatre on Zieschestraße. This tradition and quality must be preserved and taken into the future.
On Friday 27 February at 5 pm, the information will also be presented and discussed in a public information event. The event is fully booked.
* changed on 27.02.2026
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