With support from the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA), renovation of the Leadership Development Center of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy (ULA) has kicked off. Fifty rooms in this 19th century building located in Lviv’s historical district will be renovated.
USAID ERA has aready purchased 90% of the building materials to be used in the renovation, which will be completed by the end of December. Students will be able to move in in early 2025. WNISEF and Horizon Capital funds, Lviv City Council, FEST Emotions Holding, and “Kormotekh” Company are also helping to finance the project. Contractor 7CI LLC will oversee the renovation, which was designed by Re+ Architectural Bureau with support from AVR Development Company.
The Center will have two large conference halls, a cafe-shelter, rooms for students and mentors, and a dining room. A modern elevator will also be installed in the three-story building for students and guests of ULA with disabilities. As the building is more than 150 years old, the century-old wooden staircase, brick vault, ceiling and other structural elements will be preserved. Contractors have already installed new electrical wiring, and next week water and sewage networks will be replaced.
“The work we are doing is an investment not just in the ceiling and stairs, but in our youth,” said Lyubomyr Shymkiv, ULA’s Head of partnership development and infrastructure. “We plan to create a modern leadership center that will become a place of strength and implementation of projects for talented youth from all corners of Ukraine… We believe that such projects will help our youth get a quality education in Ukraine and plan for their future and our country.”
More than 1,300 students have graduated from ULA, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.