Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., March 27, 2008 Adar2 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:00 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Ministry okays plan for neighborhood by sea between Tel Aviv and Herzliya By Guy Liberman After seven years of planning, Tel Aviv may be gaining a new neighborhood by the sea. The Tel Aviv District Planning Committee at the Interior Ministry yesterday approved the plan for the site, which had been prepared by the lower local planning committee. The new master plan covers the development of a vast area between New Ramat Aviv, the Glilot intersection and the Colony Hotel in the city's north. Advertisement The body behind the master plan is the city of Tel Aviv, and the Interior Ministry is the superior authority that approves (or doesn't). Filing the plan is a formal milestone, but it will still take five to ten years before the first tractor will break ground. Plans start at the local authority, pass to the district one, after which the details are published for the public to voice objections, if any exist. The master plan calls for up to 11,300 apartments, about 181,000 square meters of industrial space and 75,000 square meters of commercial space and public buildings. Sales are expected to run at about $4.5 billion for the developers. The master plan's approval is the first step toward settling the knotty planning and ownership rights dispute that has kept the 1,900-dunam plot near the Sde Dov airport undeveloped. A multi-disciplinary team of city officials, including an architect, has been working on the issue for more than seven years. The plan is based on housing surrounding public areas, including parks and community buildings. The apartment buildings will be up to 15 stories high, with the tallest located on the eastern edge of the plot in order not to block lower buildings' view of the sea. The plan includes development of about 500 dunams near coastal limestone cliffs, and a beachfront park that will preserve natural landscape elements. The park is to be a continuum of the Tel Aviv boardwalk, and will eventually connect to the Herzliya marina. The plans also state that public use of the beachfront park will not be contingent on other sections of the project. "The plan addresses complicated issues of urban development in a unique beachfront setting with multiple land owners," the planning team explains. "The plan is founded on creating an urban fabric similar to that south of the Yarkon river, and creating a wide beachfront of about 250 meters, unlike the narrow beachfront along Hayarkon and Kaufman streets." City plans for the site include two north-south roads. One will be a continuation of Ibn Gvirol Street, and is planned as a main city street with commercial colonnades along both sides, and a light-rail track (the green line) down its center. The other north-south road, a narrow scenic route, will run alongside the beachfront park. But the main problem facing the project is that the site is owned by multiple owners, including hundreds of private owners with small plots, a few companies, and even the Tel Aviv municipality, which owns a few hundred dunams there. Objections to the plans can be expected to lengthen the process. Sectorsources believe it will be at least 10 years before construction begins. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Best served cold Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs. The Jewish hurdle Obama: I disagree with aide who blamed 'NY, Miami' for failed peace talks.

Today Online Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs Responses: 198 Blair: Middle East peace process a 'race against time' Responses: 135 Mubarak: Gaza tension brings Iran threat closer Responses: 55 PA fails in fight against terror, U.S. officials determine Responses: 73 Top Fatah official: Housing Min. inviting Palestinians to start a fresh Intifada Responses: 47 More Headlines 01:55 Two Sderot residents lightly hurt in fresh Qassam barrage on Negev town 22:25 Knesset panel to consider recognition of Armenian genocide 01:50 Abbas: Talks with Israel touch on all core issues including J'lem 01:38 Top rabbis: Harvesting organs of the brain dead is `bloodshed` 22:51 Netanyahu slams decision to give PA more security equipment 21:57 IDF soldier dies of wounds sustained in gun cleaning accident 19:41 IDF captures Hamas man behind 2002 Passover bombing at Netanya hotel 20:41 Olmert threatens 'painful' steps against Hamas, rules out truce 20:46 Obama: I disagree with aide who blamed 'NY, Miami' for failed peace talks 20:53 Arab League: Syria summit to adopt Yemen plan for Hamas-Fatah truce 17:19 PA to probe ex-Arafat aide over multi-million dollar Aqaba project 00:36 Abducted soldier's father slams PM, military for son's capture Previous Editions Select Day 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar

Special Offers Advertisement FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved