Sentralbadet Scenekunsthus
2008: After the spring season of 2008, the administration moved out of Teatergarasjen. In January 2009, the building was demolished. In the years leading up to the demolition, various designs for a new theater building were drawn by architect Henrik E. Nielsen. The owner, Neumann, had planned to build high-rise apartments in exchange for creating a new and improved stage, but that never materialized. The building was sold to a new developer without a formal agreement for a stage in the new construction.
2010: The New Teatergarasjen project was proposed to be relocated to Baneveien at Nøstet, between the historic wooden houses in Nøstegaten and Sentralbadet. The building was to incorporate parts of the city’s old Drill Hall, and the project was planned as a joint effort between BIT Teatergarasjen, the City of Bergen, and Sparebanken Vest. However, it proved difficult to realize a full-scale theater while preserving the Drill Hall. The City Antiquarian opposed the plan.
2012: A new theater building was designed, still in Baneveien, but this time as an entirely new structure. At the time, the cultural commissioner guaranteed that a new building would be ready for BIT Teatergarasjen by 2014. However, the project faced opposition from neighbors, the City Antiquarian, and the County Conservator. The architectural drawings were referred to in the media as the “gas station at Nøstet.” A revised and scaled-down version was later presented but was never fully processed.
2015: The City of Bergen allocated funds for a feasibility study to explore the potential co-location of BIT Teatergarasjen, Carte Blanche, and rehearsal spaces for DNS at Sentralbadet. As a result, the project in Baneveien was put on hold.
2016-2017: 2016-2017: The state reported that the project was considered too expensive. DNS withdrew to focus on their own site. BIT Teatergarasjen and Carte Blanche teamed up with the City of Bergen to develop a revised sketch project. Costs were reduced, and on May 2, 2017, Prime Minister Erna Solberg visited Bergen with a promise of 230 million NOK in state funding for Sentralbadet Scenekunsthus. The remaining two-thirds of the project would be financed by the City of Bergen and Hordaland County Council. The County Council decided to allocate 5 million NOK in startup funds for new facilities for Carte Blanche and BIT Teatergarasjen. Sentralbadet was not mentioned in the county’s budget decision.
2018: Cultural organizations in Bergen engaged in the Sentralbadet issue, organizing a public meeting for the performing arts house at Sentralbadet. Carte Blanche held an extraordinary general assembly to express the urgency of the company’s situation. The county and the City of Bergen joined forces, promising to find a solution.
On June 13, the County Council decided to allocate 105 million NOK to the project. On June 20, the Bergen City Council approved the remaining 355 mil. lions. The board of Carte Blanche decided to hire Dutch company Theateradvies to develop their own stage technical specifications.
2019Telemark Research recommended establishing a limited company (AS) with BIT Teatergarasjen, Carte Blanche, the City of Bergen, and possibly the county council as co-owners. Theateradvies proposed raising the roof over the pool area and adding four stories, which the City Council approved, with an expected project delay to the third quarter of 2022. Prequalification for the tender process was delayed until December, and the City Council requested further investigation into the AS model.
2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prequalification process was delayed again, and the bidders were given a new deadline at the end of June. The competition was decided in September, but the second-place bidder appealed and won in district court. The City of Bergen appealed, delaying contract signing and the project timeline pending the Court of Appeal’s decision. Despite the delays, project planning continued.
2021: The City of Bergen won the appeal, allowing the contract signing to proceed. Initial meetings between users, architects, and contractors were held, and a simplified planning process was decided.
2022: Demolition work was postponed until after the summer of 2022, with planned move-in around the end of 2024/early 2025. An art committee for decoration was established, and a project position for Sentralbadet was discussed. In October, a workshop on the operational model and the establishment of an AS was held, with the expected decision process in the new year. A preliminary draft of the lease agreement was developed towards the end of the year.
2023: The establishment of Sentralbadet AS was delayed again, and the project was pushed to the second quarter of 2026. The AS bylaws were revised, and the City Council approved the operational model in June. Discussions were held on whether to lease or sell the office floors, with a decision postponed until the building is completed. The County Council supported the establishment of the AS, and the City Council authorized the sale of the office floors. Demolition work began, and a project group was established for further follow-up.
2024: The founding meeting for Sentralbadet AS is scheduled for October 3, 2024. It has been confirmed that Sentralbadet Scenekunsthus will be completed in June 2026. On October 16, City Council Leader Christine Meyer and Culture Councilor Reidar Digranes are laying the cornerstone for the new Sentralbadet performing arts house.