Urban Renewal Capital: This is a massive plan approved in Jerusalem

The municipality of Jerusalem, through the local planning and building committee, approved four plans on February 11 for deposit in the district committee for urban renewal in Kiryat Menachem, within which 1,709 housing units will be built, including two giant towers of 41 stories each.

In addition, the plan includes an area for public use for the benefit of residents, pedestrian crossings with mechanical means for pedestrians, and a commercial frontage. Full details on the plans approved are presented here. 

This is a comprehensive urban renewal project through four new construction plans in the "Norit Street" complex in Kiryat Menachem. It should be noted that a few years ago, a plan was approved in the neighborhood that was submitted by the municipality of Jerusalem for urban renewal of the entire Norit-Costa Rica streets complex, which was approved by the national council.

The plan included 1,000 housing units on the complementary land in the original construction plan. Following the cancellation of that land, those 1,000 housing units were returned to developers to submit a new plan to integrate them into the four complexes. Each complex submitted a new plan by private developers to add housing units in each complex, instead of the housing units specified in the complementary land, in order to bring the plans to implementation.

First compound - between Costa Rica Street and Nurit Street: This will be a compound of approximately 0.85 hectares, within it the demolition of the two residential buildings Nurit Street 5 and 7, including 128 housing units and public buildings, including a primary urban kibbutz within the plan area. In their place, two 41-floor towers and an additional 10-story building with a total of 491 housing units will be built.

The plan will include commercial and employment areas towards Nurit and Mexico streets, children's playgrounds, and a public area built on 500 square meters toward the proposed urban square. The plan is intended for the western part of the compound with an area of 0.35 hectares for buildings and public institutions, for educational services (daycares, kindergartens), as well as society, community, culture, leisure and religious purposes.

The plan submitter is Inbar Initiation Kiryat Hayovel and the plan's architect is Ilon Anat of Ilon Anat Architects Ltd. 

Second compound - located east of the first compound: This will be a compound of approximately 0.7 hectares, including railway buildings with five wings of eight floors connected by bridges, with a total of 147 housing units, and a commercial building outside the plan's boundaries on Nurit Street 21. The plan proposes the demolition of all the buildings and the construction of two 40-story towers with 437 housing units, with a commercial facade facing Mexico and Nurit streets.

The joint submitters of the second plan are SHIKUN & BINUI Real Estate Development Ltd. and Urban Renewal Urban Development and Real Estate, and the planner is Architect Baraz Kika from Kika Baraz Architects and Urban Planners.

A third complex in the north-western part of Nurit Street: This will cover an area of ​​approximately 0.4 hectares, including four residential buildings with 64 apartments. The plan proposes the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of three residential buildings of 36, 15 and 10 floors, with a total of 243 apartments, commercial space towards Nurit Street, and an open public area planned from the west. The committee's decision requires the examination of the construction of one tower and two 10-story buildings.

The third plan submitter is Tamman Real Estate Investments Ltd., and the architect is Joel Breidmann from the Breidmann Agmon Architects office. 

A fourth complex in the south-western part of Nurit Street: This has an area of approximately 0.4 hectares, consisting of two buildings with 112 apartments. The plan also proposes the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of two towers of 34 floors each, totaling 389 apartments. In addition, a ground floor including residences, commercial spaces towards Nurit Street and to the south-west (open public area), and a daycare center towards the planned open public area from the north is planned. The fourth plan submitter is the Tikun Builders and the architect is Ilan Anath from Anath Ilan Architects Ltd.

"These are highly significant plans that continue the urban policy in the city's development and the increase in the housing units by means of urban renewal," The Jerusalem Municipality stated, adding that "advanced planning and density, and a mix of intensive uses can create quality housing solutions to improve residents' quality of life."