The towers of Tel Aviv

The strip in question, known as Hamesila, includes 128 dunams, or nearly 32 acres. Seven towers would stand there, including one that already exists - the Neveh Tzedek tower, which looms over the picturesque seaside neighborhood characterized by short structures. Another aspect of the plan involves the preservation of 30 buildings, but that's not the issue in keen dispute.

Hamesila is characterized by low-lying, old and dilapidated constructs, small stores and hangars, some of which have been earmarked for preservation. The plan would more than double present residential density: The new towers would add 650 apartments to the existing 750 apartments in the area. Also in planning are kindergartens and schools, and a community center for the residents.

Aside from the 38-story Neveh Tzedek tower, also known as the Nechushtan Tower, which was built five years ago, the plan calls for a 32-story tower, Lieber, which may be part residential and part office, on Pines Street. Niva Tower will have 26 stories and is designated entirely for housing.

Ha'eted Tower, on the street of that name, will be 32 stories of residential or office space. The Lapid complex will have two towers with 150 apartments. Eliphelet is also a double-building complex.

To be clear about it, what the committee approved last week is a policy paper, not a master plan. It lacks the legal status of a master plan, and serves only as a declaration of policy by the city. However, the adoption of the policy paper brings the concept closer to fruition.

The reason the policy paper was formulated in the first place is that the District Planning and Building Committee demanded to see an overview, rather than discuss each individual high-rise plan separately. Still, each tower will have to undergo the usual planning and approval processes.

Meanwhile, the natives are growing increasingly restless. The local Planning and Building Committee has already held three meetings on Hamesila because of the grass-roots battle by residents of neighboring Neveh Tzedek and Florentin.

The residents point at the crying shortage of transportation infrastructure and public buildings in the area. They were behind the creation of the policy paper, following protests that the city authorities were blindly examining each plan rather than taking a broad view of how the projects would affect the area as a whole.

Despite the protests, the policy paper doesn't suggest any change to the transportation infrastructure, except on Shlavim Street, which becomes Eliphelet Street. These are designated to become the entry point to South Tel Aviv, in the stead of the perennially congested Jerusalem Boulevard. Eilat Street, which turns into Jaffa Street, will remain the main artery through Hamesila.

The streets Herzl, Allenby and Nahalat Binyamin can't be widened, and will remain as they are.

In the past, a group of Neveh Tzedek residents organized to protest the plans for the Niva and Lieber towers. The group is upset about the paper.

"In practice, the decision confirms an automatic mechanism for getting plans passed, without any solution being proposed for the neighborhood and for South Tel Aviv," the committee stated. "The planning is wretched. Its only purpose is to approve the construction of a wall of high-rises along Eilat Street, which will partition Florentin and Neveh Tzedek."

Until now, the city used the "salami method" - one slice at a time - to obtain approval for each tower individually, the committee continued. "Now it's providing a sort of false representation of a comprehensive plan. It has no content because it has no transportation solutions for the thousands of people who will live in the apartments. There are no educational institutions, which the area needs. There are no new green areas to alleviate the crowding. The only reason for the city's position is pressure from developers," the committee stated.

Which isn't to say that the committee doesn't see a ray of light. At least now the city isn't just looking at each tower by itself - now, there's a single consolidated plan to fight.