New life for dying inner cities: ideas for MV in focus!

New life for dying inner cities: ideas for MV in focus!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the inner cities are in a process of deep change. Jan Nissen from the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences gives an overview of new ideas for revitalizing these empty spaces at the NDR MV Talk. The business figures of the last few years have been a topic of conversation, especially in cities like Demmin and Anklam: over 100 shops have closed their doors in Demmin since 2008, which has a massive impact on the cityscape and makes a turnaround urgently necessary. Nissen no longer sees the future of inner cities primarily in consumption, but instead calls for use oriented towards the common good, which puts encounters and culture in the foreground.

The question is: How can urban society take action to bring these places back to life? “Simple campaigns such as children’s flea markets or street football tournaments can work wonders,” Nissen is certain, pointing to the successful transformation of vacant properties in other cities. A positive reference is the “Offene Mühle” in Neubrandenburg, a former bakery building that now serves as an event center.

Temporary use as the key to revitalization

Temporary use initiatives have been established not only in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but in numerous cities in Germany. National urban development policy reports that municipalities increasingly want to actively design empty spaces, although organizing such temporary uses is associated with many legal and organizational challenges. The interim use network has been running since June 1, 2023, and is intended to help existing initiatives network and make their first steps easier.

This platform not only offers answers, but also best practice projects to make the transformation of cities fruitful. The activity shows that many cities are eager to explore alternative uses in highly profitable properties, which could change the dynamics in city centers.

A negotiation process for the future

What happens next? Nissen emphasizes that the future of the city centers is a negotiation process. It must be discussed in which direction these habitats should develop. Different interests often collide. For example, new initiatives that promote minority rights could also trigger conflicts in the neighborhood structure.

Nevertheless, Nissen remains optimistic: "There are considerations about how city centers can be made more diverse and lively. The key lies in active participation by the municipality and citizens." Only then, many are convinced, can the loss of importance of cities like Demmin be effectively counteracted and a trend reversal in urban development possibly initiated.

It will be interesting to see how the coming months and years will influence the design of the inner cities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. One thing is clear: a revitalized city center can only succeed if everyone involved sits down at the table and pulls together.