Jena, August 10, 2026, The Columbus Center in Winzerla is leaving years of vacancy behind and launching with fresh momentum into a new era. Under the new management of Jenaer Immobilien- und Service GmbH, the shopping center is gradually transforming into a vibrant hub for local supplies, specialties, culture, and services.
Location: Columbus Center, Jena-Winzerla
Mix of Uses: Gastronomy, specialty wholesale, culture & associations, health & services
Rental Terms: Attractive average rent starting at approx. €10/m² (free spaces from 65 m² to 80 m² as well as office and practice rooms available)
Leasing & Contact: Jenaer Immobilien- und Service GmbH (JIS), Anke Daßler (a.dassler@jis-jena.de)
Fresh Start for Existing Building: The Transformation of the Columbus Center
After years of uncertainty and declining occupancy rates, the Columbus Center in the Jena district of Winzerla stands at a decisive turning point. Following the stop of ambitious plans for a complete demolition and new development at the end of 2025, the current strategy focuses entirely on step-by-step renovation and energetic revitalization within the existing building. Instead of continuing to wait for the long-discussed major redevelopment, the team led by Anke Daßler from Jenaer Immobilien- und Service GmbH (JIS) is tackling matters directly on site.
The goal is to bring the available commercial space back to life through tailored room concepts, fair conditions of around 10 euros per square meter, and a colorful mix of retail, crafts, and community. The combination of traditional anchor businesses and innovative new tenants is intended to restore the center to its original role as a vibrant meeting place for the neighborhood.
Gastronomy, Specialties & New Momentum
A real eye-catcher on the upper ground floor is the opening of an Oriental pastry shop. Freshly baked baklava specialties with pistachios, walnuts, and cashews as well as traditional knafeh are presented in the glass display cases. The atmosphere, featuring carved Arabic calligraphy and shiny brass dallah coffee pots, radiates wanderlust. Right next door on the same floor, an Oriental grocery wholesaler has established itself, serving as a supplier for all of Thuringia and delighting local residents with exotic spices, fine olive varieties, rice, and fresh produce.
Far Eastern cuisine is moving in as well. A new Vietnamese restaurant is currently finishing its interior fit-out for its planned opening in September. Featuring warm wooden elements, elegant bamboo structures, and an impressive wall mural, it invites future guests to enjoy and linger.
The lively activity is complemented by the „Spot“ kiosk and shisha shop, which has quickly developed into a popular neighborhood hangout. In addition to common tobacco varieties, shisha accessories, chilled soft drinks, and snacks, local residents particularly appreciate the integrated DHL parcel service on site. Furthermore, promising negotiations are currently underway to bring in an ice cream parlor.
Culture, Leisure & Community Life
In addition to retail, the revitalization concept places a strong emphasis on social and cultural impulses. The association Machwerk Jena e.V. is taking over a 110-square-meter space with its own outdoor entrance, creating Jena’s first open workshop of this kind. Association members, and in the future also the general public, will gain space here for tinkering, crafting, and gathering outside their own four walls.
Furthermore, a forward-looking VR arena is in concrete negotiations. Virtual Reality (VR) stands for „Virtual Reality“, a modern digital 3D world of experience in which visitors directly immerse themselves using special headsets. Instead of just looking at a screen like watching television, visitors move freely in the space and become part of interactive adventures, digital puzzle rooms, or virtual cultural journeys. In order to bring this step toward the future to Winzerla, spacious, barrier-free areas are to be converted, making groundbreaking leisure technology and fun accessible to young and old alike.
For changing cultural and leisure events, a total of up to 450 square meters of usable space is available in the center.
Medical Care & Services
Healthcare and everyday services in the district are also being strengthened. The integrated medical center is to be purposefully filled with medical practices again, while existing practices are currently negotiating the renewal of their leases. Proven businesses such as the popular Greek restaurant „Poseidon“, the „Paradiso“ pizza and kebab shop, and the established pharmacy secure the location as reliable anchors. Talks are also currently underway with the Wolf butchery.
Special priority is being given to the planned expansion of the Norma supermarket to 1,200 square meters of retail space in the future. A preliminary building application has been pending at the Jena building authority for six months, and its approval is urgently awaited. The expansion is the decisive requirement for offering customers significantly more shopping comfort while maintaining an extensive product range, such as the popular garden and DIY supplies, similar to what other discounters have already implemented in Lobeda.
For two months now, the „Schöner Schnitt“ barbershop has also been enriching the range of services. Here, everything revolves around classic men’s haircuts, traditional beard care, precise contour shaves, and a relaxing break for the modern man. (Fact-based note: Following a burglary on August 7 in which cash and valuables were stolen, the Jena Police Department requests relevant information from the public at 03641 810.)
Construction Progress, Renovation & Parking Garage
The structural upgrading of the complex is progressing rapidly. The outdoor staircase, which had been closed for years due to safety deficiencies, is being completely renewed, while extensive cleaning and renovation work on the floors is being carried out indoors. A particular challenge is the gradual renovation of the building services within the active, leased building, which also includes modernizing the hot water supply and ventilation systems.
The connected parking garage is also undergoing a fundamental modernization and will be equipped with an automatic license plate recognition system. In addition to publicly available short-term parking spaces, newly leased permanent parking spots are already available for residents and employees.
Good to know: History & Transformation since 1994
The Columbus Center was opened in 1994 as part of Winzerla’s urban development, serving as a counterpart to the neighboring WinCenter to guarantee local supplies for the residential area. For many years, the center housed a colorful variety of well-known everyday shops, ranging from drugstores like Schlecker and dm to a flower shop, a shoe store, a frequently used Quelle shop, and a day center for people suffering from addiction. The Greek restaurant „Poseidon“ and the Columbus Pharmacy have remained constant culinary and service anchors throughout the years.
Over the decades, changing consumer habits, confusing floor plans, and a lack of daylight led to significant vacancy. The City of Jena regularly organized public resident forums, including meetings at the Friedrich Schiller Elementary School, to discuss the future of the site. After a planned demolition and new construction project („Friedrich-Zucker-Straße Residential and Commercial Quarter“) failed at the end of 2025 due to objections from owner Svend Dietel and rising construction costs, the center is now successfully turning a new page through building renovation.
Source: Own research & on-site interviews
Transparency note: This article is based on information gathered on site and was drafted with AI assistance.