Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 15, 2008 Kislev 18, 5769 | | Israel Time: 10:38 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 06:47 11/12/2008 Build yourself a house at the Dead Sea and live in the lowest community on earth By Guy Lieberman Tags: Real Estate, Housing  If you're looking for a detached single-family villa on the beach with terrific mountain views, and in the lowest place in the world, it's worth keeping on eye on the Israel Lands Administration recent announcement of a tender to bid on plots for do-it-yourself construction in Neve Zohar, on the shores of the Dead Sea. Wednesday saw a cornerstone laying ceremony for the new neighborhood, and according to the Tamar Regional Council, over 900 people are competing for a place in the project, most of them from the country's center. The project sprawls across 646 dunams or so and its first stage will have 80 plots for sale, with another 60 coming later on. Each of the new residents of Neve Zohar can build a residential home on their land, as well as up to four bed-and-breakfast vacation units adjacent, which will serve as an additional source of income for the community's residents. The average sizes of the tendered plots are 500, 350 and 300 square meters. Advertisement The cost to purchase land is approximately NIS 250,000 on average, depending on the size of the plot, which does not include costs for building an actual home. Neve Zohar, a residential community, was established in 1964 and has around 30 families. It is situated on the southern shore of the Dead Sea near the Ein Bokek resort area. The Tamar Regional Council has deemed the small community's expansion to be very important and has relocated the regional school to the village for the current school year. As part of the investment in the community expansion, there are plans to build an artificial lagoon next to it, enabling residents to enjoy the bonus of a beach next door to their homes, with requisite beach facilities. In addition, there are plans to set up a high-tech industrial zone, early childhood educational institutions, a shopping center near the lagoon and a country club with a swimming pool inside the town. "Our goal is to attract a population of young couples to Neve Zohar and thereby increase the number of residents there," said Dov Litvinoff, the head of the Tamar Regional Council. "Neve Zohar offers an amazing quality of life: fresh air, dazzling, unspoiled desert panoramas, breathtaking sunrises, flourishing tourism and quality education." The director general of the Dead Sea Region Economic Development Corporation, Yitzhak Burba, adds that the expansion of Neve Zohar is of strategic importance on a national-Zionist level: "I consider every person who settles in the Dead Sea valley as pioneer. The expansion of the community and the construction of bed-and-breakfasts in Neve Zohar will increase the number of vacation units offered to tourists and other visitors to the Dead Sea." Related articles: A blue-and-white answer to the greens on the Dead Sea IN PICTURES: A high at the lowest point on earth Dead Sea hotel goes Haredi for weekend, but forgets to tell secular guests Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fighting hate online YouTube reaches out to the Anti-Defamation League for help in fighting hate clips. 'Camp Deheisheh' Two college students, Jewish and Muslim, practice peace in the West Bank refugee camp.   1.   Neve Zohar Project 14:00  |  Ohad Barda 13/12/08   2.   additional articles 20:28  |  mark lawner 14/12/08

Read & React Yehuda Ben-Meir: We must not give into Hamas demands Responses: 2 Supreme Court okays release of 230 Palestinian prisoners Responses: 4 Iraqi reporter throws shoe at Bush during president's farewell visit to Baghdad Responses: 33 Far-right Dutch MP: There is no moderate Islam Responses: 22 Umm al-Fahm Mayor: Rightists will never march through our city Responses: 66 More Headlines 10:13 Supreme Court okays release of 230 Palestinian prisoners 04:00 As truce nears end, Israel tells Hamas: We will respond to Gaza fire 03:00 ANALYSIS / Who wants to end the Hamas-Israel ceasefire? 10:11 Two prominent Jewish foundations forced to close in wake of Madoff scandal 10:37 Israeli brothers suspected in multi-million dollar diamond fraud 04:53 'There is no moderate Islam,' says far-right Dutch legislator Geert Wilders 10:34 Iraqi reporter throws shoe at Bush during president's farewell visit to Baghdad 03:40 Umm al-Fahm Mayor: Rightists will never march even a meter through our city 09:47 Ex-MK jolts Meretz with upset primary win, as party ponders future 05:24 Jerusalem fire chief suspended over attempting to run a brothel 03:32 Gaza banks at risk of collapse unless Israel pumps more cash, diplomats warn 05:18 Despite lag in polls, Kadima recruiters hoping to capture ambitious number of seats 03:34 VIDEO / Police suspect mob link after man's hacked corpse found in Petah Tikvah Previous Editions Select Day 14 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 08 dec 07 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec 02 dec 01 dec

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