The Lviv Regional Council, the National Union of Architects of Ukraine and the Lviv Regional Organisation of the NUAU have agreed on the further use of the Powder Tower at 4 Pidvalna Street in Lviv and signed a Memorandum on Cooperation and Dispute Settlement. This was announced by Acting Chair of the Lviv Regional Council Yurii Kholod.
The document was signed by Yurii Kholod, President of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine Oleksandr Chyzhevskyi, and Head of the Lviv Regional Organisation of the NUAU Mykola Sheremeta. Under the agreements reached, the Powder Tower will remain in the joint ownership of the territorial communities of Lviv Region.
The parties have agreed on a mechanism that will allow the architectural community to continue using this historic site for professional, cultural, educational, scientific and civic activities. The next step is for a session of the Lviv Regional Council to consider including the Powder Tower in the list of properties that may be leased without auction to creative unions.
In parallel, the parties to the agreement will apply to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine for the necessary approvals and will arrange for a monetary valuation of the monument. Once all procedures required by law have been completed, they plan to conclude a long-term preferential lease agreement between the Department for the Management of Jointly Owned Property of the Lviv Regional Council and the Lviv Regional Organisation of the NUAU. The specific terms of the lease will be determined in accordance with current legislation and the decisions of the Regional Council.
“For us, it is a matter of principle that the Powder Tower remains the property of the communities of Lviv Region. At the same time, we have always said that this is a unique space, important for the architectural community, and it must remain vibrant and be used effectively. I am glad that through dialogue we have managed to find a solution and remove the stumbling block that had arisen in our relations. I hope that from now on we will be united only by constructive cooperation – for the sake of preserving the Powder Tower and developing architecture and the cultural heritage of Lviv Region,” said Yurii Kholod.
An important part of the Memorandum is the final settlement of disputes surrounding the use of the Powder Tower. Once the steps set out in the document have been implemented, the National Union of Architects of Ukraine and its Lviv Regional Organisation must take the necessary legal actions to terminate and withdraw judicial and extrajudicial proceedings related to this site.
The parties also plan to initiate the conclusion of a protection agreement for the monument and to jointly seek additional financial resources for its proper maintenance, preservation and restoration. According to Oleksandr Chyzhevskyi, the understanding reached opens up opportunities for broader cooperation between local self-government bodies and architects, in particular in holding architectural competitions, forming professional juries and developing high-quality approaches to territorial development.
The signed Memorandum is defined as a cooperation document intended to formalise the agreements reached, bring a long-running conflict to an end and move to a partnership-based model of interaction.
The Powder Tower is a cultural heritage monument of national significance that cannot be transferred into private ownership. It is an integral part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Lviv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre”.