Promprylad.Renovation is an innovation center on premises of Ivano-Frankivsk Promprylad plant. New opportunities are being created here in four different sectors – education, art, new economy, and urbanistics.
Promprylad.Renovation serves as a platform for knowledge evaluation and distribution. Professional and creative communities along with local companies can gain new high-quality experience and share it with others.
The project team aims to unite the creative potential of the city here in order to promote regional development. At the moment 1,2 million dollars have been raised to launch the pilot floor of the project. 16 functional spaces from various business, educational and cultural spheres operate at Promprylad.
In early 2019, an agreement was signed for the purchase and sale of the Promprylad plant. The overall cost of the reconstruction amounts to 25 million dollars.
Background
One of the vital issues for Promprylad is the urgent need for reinterpretation and innovative and rational use of (post)industrial areas that have lost their economic role, and also for creation of quality communication space for the growing local communities (due to internal migration in Ukraine) and active social categories (artists, activists, social entrepreneurs).
The project of revitalizing industrial area is the ideological continuation of the public restaurant Urban Space 100 experience, which set a good example that consolidation of community, businesses and civil society efforts gives a real and constant synergetic effect facilitating the society transformations.
Project implementation stages
In 2015 the vision of the project, its aims, and general concept were defined, the network of project partner organizers was formed.
In 2016 the economic potential of the region and the history of Promprylad plant were studied, the architectural concept was developed, and the project of the pilot third floor was created.
In 2017 reconstruction of the third floor at the third plant building began. The renovation of the pilot floor (1783 m²) lasted 9 months.
In March 2018 the pilot floor of the project was launched, including a coworking space, conference room, workshops, laboratories, art space, gallery, cafe, bar, offices of innovative companies and partner organizations, educational and children’s spaces.
Numerous concerts, educational projects, active city cluster gatherings, exhibitions, and festivals take place at Promprylad.Renovation.
In 2019, the project was supported by the first system investor — the Ukrainian company FinStream. In early February, an agreement for the purchase and sale of the Promprylad plant was signed: Promprylad.Renovation project bought the controlling interest. By the end of the year it is planned to involve $5 million of impact investments.
From 2019 to 2024, gradually the rest of the territories and buildings (37 871 m²) will be reconstructed to give them new functions and operators. After the reconstruction, Fab Lab and NanoFrankivsk R&D center will be working at Parasolka plant unit
Gradually the rest of the plant premises (36 650 m²) will undergo a reconstruction, after which they will get new functions and operators. After the reconstruction Fab Lab open workshop (700 m²) will start functioning at Parasolka plant unit.
This stage of the project will be completed by virtue of a crowdinvesting model. The community, businesses, Ukrainian and international funds and investors will be able to purchase Promprylad.Renovation shares and support the project and its goals.
The project is being implemented by the consortium of partnering organizations Teple Misto platform, Insha Osvita non-governmental organization, MitOst, PACT Ukraine and Lviv Business School (LvBS).
Potential impact of the project Promprylad.Renovation on local and regional development
1. Promprylad.Renovation is an innovation center aimed at giving people the reason to stay and have a chance of self-actualization in their hometown.
2. The creative community of the city, which unites around the project, will strengthen the local economy and create decent work conditions and opportunities for starting new businesses.
3. Informal education, modern culture, and social sphere will receive the means and space required for their development.
4. Promprylad will become a unifying platform for cooperation between business, local government, and civil society.
5. Promprylad.Renovation has to become a model for implementation within other territories, therefore Ivano-Frankivsk experience may be spread to similar regions in Ukraine.