Ofer Kerzner: Urban regeneration is a solution for big cities

Every city has its spots of unused areas. To prevent their decay, these areas are converted into modern hubs. This is called Urban regeneration, and it is becoming a major trend in big cities

KIEV, Ukraine, Aug. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban regeneration involves the transformation of old non-working industrial areas into up-to-date places for work and leisure.

"Mainly urban regeneration is done to promote economic growth: increase employment, attract residents and investors and unlock potential in abandoned areas. The second reason is improving the quality of life for people who live near these spots," -- outlines investor Ofer Kerzner.

Ukraine is a country with a big Soviet heritage: it used to be a home for factories and plants. Now many of them are left unattained. That is why in the 1990s Israeli Ofer Kerzner started investing in the Ukrainian real estate market.

One of the examples of successful urban regeneration is "Art-zavod Platforma" located in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

Launched in 2014, it quickly became the largest Ukrainian creative cluster. It has a family mall, a space for exhibitions, parties and educational events, and co-working "Platforma" – one of the first co-workings in Kyiv.

That's why "Art-zavod Platforma" has something to offer for everyone: artists, photographers, musicians, freelancers, and those who just love to hang out.

Ofer Kerzner says: "We wanted 'Art-zavod Platforma' to become a place for a community to share ideas. For this purpose, we opened 'Platforma'. Our goal was to create a hub where one can find like-minded people and extend their network. So, 'Platforma' became a spot where IT specialists gather and come up with ideas for startups."

Ofer Kerzner explains that now a business center and a fully equipped residential area are under construction as a part of "Art-zavod Platforma".

It makes it a major urban regeneration project, a unique one for Ukraine.

Business-center "Platforma Korolenkovskaya" is an extension of "Art-zavod Platforma" in the center of Kyiv. It was an industrial area, too – now it is an up-to-date office building which has all the requirements of the new infrastructure.

"Platforma Korolenkovskaya" is a 12-floor building with an open terrace on the roof, a restaurant, a café, a lounge area, a bar, and an art space with Ukrainian artists' works. It is fully technically equipped and has a laconic smart-design. All of this makes "Platforma Korolenkovskaya" a great place to work and rest.