Calcalist, Ronen Niv, 28.05.2020

The municipal government renewal report for 2019, published recently, has optimized urban renewal activists in Haifa. According to the data, the northern capital itself stands as one of the busiest cities in the industry, and when the city's recent announcements indicate that the city's urban future lies in renewal Its old neighborhoods, it seems the peak is still ahead of us.

According to the report, Haifa is one of the top four cities in the number of building permits granted last year for evacuation-construction projects, with 1,685 housing units in five complexes. Also, in granting building permits for projects under Tama 38, Haifa is ranked in the first quintile, with 32 projects.

"Haifa is renewed by any standard, with the work being done carefully and meticulously," says Prof. Irit Zaraf Netanyahu, the planner and editor of the plans for urban renewal in the coastal neighborhoods, Neve Shaanan and Kiryat Haim West. She said, "These are just the first buds on the road to many urban renewal projects. However, it is clear to all of us that in order for Haifa's urban renewal to take a leap, the players in the field need certainty. In the area that has not been bright enough, the municipality has adopted a clear policy that defines the boundaries. The decree. "

"In a city like Haifa, which does not have multiple land reserves, urban renewal is the only way," states Yossi Cohen, CEO of Next Urban, which specializes in the development of evacuation-construction projects, and promotes the construction of more than 8,500 housing units in 14 complexes Across Haifa. "Beyond housing solutions, these projects lie in a social line and through which the quality of life of the residents of the city can be upgraded. After many years in which Haifa has lagged behind in urban renewal, there is a change in the trend. Mayor Einat Kalish Rotem understands the significance of the urban renewal to Haifa, and we line it with her. "

From a neighborhood to a city

A major focus of urban renewal is expected to be Neve Shaanan, one of the city's largest neighborhoods. Last February, a strategic plan was presented to Greater Neve Shaanan, which includes the neighborhoods of Jezreelia, Ramot Ramz, Ziv and the slopes of Neve Shaanan - and around 11,000 new housing units will be built to join the existing 16,000 housing units. Accordingly, the total number of residents in these neighborhoods is expected to climb from about 45,000 to about 70,000.

Against the background of the expected growth in its population and the desire to respond to diverse audiences, the plan refers to Neve Shaanan as a kind of city, rather than a neighborhood, based on four key principles: development of main streets for urban activity, accessing the neighborhood through a new set of roads, introducing metro lines and establishing a peripheral landscape promenade. "Rot Neve Shanan." As part of the program, Neve Shaanan will be divided into quarters, each developed according to its unique characteristics.

Adar Irit joined Netanyahu. "On the road to many urban renewal projects"

Along with the plans for Neve Shaanan, Kiryat Eliezer-Kiryat Eliyahu and Kiryat Haim West are receiving widespread attention with their own renewal programs. In addition, the municipality, together with the Government for Urban Renewal, is promoting a master plan for the revitalization of the coastal neighborhoods - Neve David, Aliyah Gate, West Kiryat Shapirnetsek and Ein Yam. The planned upheaval for these neighborhoods speaks to the re-branding as the "Riviera neighborhoods" of the city, which emphasize the direct connection between Haifa and its seaside, and its importance to the fabric of life there.

"This is an area with tremendous potential that, for a variety of reasons, has not yet been realized," notes Netanyahu. "There is a combination here of neighborhoods that are in an optimal location - close to the coastline and to the city entrance - and the need to renovate and renovate them. Urban renewal is the means to that end."

Haifa's interior

Next Urban is one of the companies working to translate the vision for Haifa's renewed reality into the field, and in light of the projected introduction of the coastal neighborhood revitalization program, the company's projects in the region are already producing around them. "We are focused on the immigration gate, and operate in six sub-complexes in the neighborhood, including the Etzel-Baruch Cohen-Rabbi Alankwa sub-complex, where we will cooperate with the Yossi Avrahami company," says Cohen. From 60% of apartment owners. We are expected to demolish more than 1,000 housing units in the neighborhood and build about 4,700 new housing units, plus commercial and employment space, public buildings and green lungs. The rate of immigration will change from end to end, and its real value will jump. "

"The immigration gate will be the interior of Haifa as part of the seafront of the coastal neighborhoods," adds Netanyahu. "It offers ideal conditions for maximizing the dialogue between the city and the sea. It can turn a main street with a frontline to the coastline. There is a large park in Navel, which is a route of the Wadi leading to the sea. I believe that the immigration gate and the Neve David neighborhood will be a model for adequate urban renewal and enjoy great demand."

Nexan Urban's plans for the renewed Neve Shanan are also well integrated, with three projects in the Pfizer complex, the Maimon Shimoni complex and the Netiv Chen complex. At the forefront of the project is the Pfizer complex, which will demolish four railroad buildings with 104 housing units, and four towers of 25 stories or more will be erected, alongside the textured construction of six-seven-story buildings - a total of 440 housing units, combined with commercial strips, employment, Green areas and public buildings.

Next Urban CEO Yossi Cohen: "There is a desire to release barriers and give entrepreneurs more tools" Photo: Reuven Cohen 

Here to stay

In the Corona days, when the real estate market dropped gear and activity volumes were significantly reduced, Benxt Urban continued intensive work. , And Haifa developers are given a 45-day period to sign hundreds of apartment owners on agreements, before the document goes into effect. "

The task of maneuvering in such a short window of opportunity has become even more complex in light of the outbreak of the epidemic and the instructions for physical distance and the ban on gathering. "At this time, creative solutions are needed, otherwise entire projects may go down the drain," Cohen explains. "Entering Corona on set and adopting new rules of the game. Conducting tenant conferences using the Zoom app, setting up seal tents under buildings and one-on-one meetings with apartment owners while maintaining all of the health guidelines - all became a daily routine for us. Stage we did not get our foot off the gas. "

The Harem compound at the immigration gate. "The coastal neighborhoods have huge potential that has not yet been realized" Imaging: Olin 

What initially seemed an impossible destination became momentarily real. With more than 650 signatures in nine areas, Banket Urban could release a sigh of relief. "It was a crazy time, in just a few weeks we finished processes that often lasted more than three years," Cohen points out. "Now the ball is with the PA, with the aspiration that the urban renewal momentum will also be reflected in the short bureaucratic and planning procedures."

"The area of ​​urban renewal is gaining momentum, both locally and nationally," Cohen concludes. "There is a desire to release barriers and give us, the developers, more tools. In this context, an important step is the recently published report by the Justice Ministry, with a series of efficiency recommendations, most notably lowering the threshold for clearance-construction deals from 80% today to 66% . This also indicates that the state is also aware that the urban renewal is here to stay, and is going to occupy an increasingly important place in the Israeli real estate market.