Three historic buildings in the western part of Limassol, which barely escaped demolition some time ago thanks to civil society mobilizations, will now be restored and re- re-used. These are the municipal apartment buildings at Mishiaouli & Kavazoglou street, which, following the revocation of the decision of the previous Limassol Municipal Council to demolish them, were subsequently included in the "Limassol 2020 urban interventions programme’’ and will thus be turned into a Municipal Multifunctional Center. Planning by the technical department of Limassol Municipality, provides for the contracts with the company that will undertake the project to be signed by the end of August. Main works will start next October, to be concluded by the end of 2021, creating a hub of culture, a centre rendering service to the community and a new reference point for the western districts.
The Multifunctional Center will include an Advisory Center, a Child Protection and Occupation Center and a Youth Center. The first block of flats will house the multifunctional Center for Social Services, the second the Children's Occupation Center (‘’Free Hands Programme’’) and the third a Youth Center with art workshops and classrooms for teaching and recreation facilities.
The shell of the apartment blocks, which are monuments of historical and architectural significance, as they essentially represent the first social policy interventions of the Limassol Municipality dating back to 1948, under then Mayor Ploutis Servas, will be preserved, while two of the apartments will be rehabilitated.
New buildings, including a three-storey one, are located in the southern part of the block, while in the design, ground-level and underground parking spaces are provided. The timetable for the work is two years, with a budget of €3 million. Meanwhile, in September, tenders will be awarded the creation of a Center for the Elderly, also in west Limassol. That and other projects in the area co-financed by the European Union Regional Development Fund.
