Ramla is revitalizing: the plan to build 1,455 housing units in the city center has been approved

The Committee for Preferred Housing Complexes (Hotmal), chaired by Rabbi Natan Alantan, today (Wednesday) approved for deposit the plan for urban renewal in downtown Ramla. The plan initiated by the Gabai Group, the Municipality of Ramla and in cooperation with the Governmental Authority for Urban Renewal, covers an area of 56 dunams, It is located in the complex of Rabbi Rains and Sheshet Hayam Streets to the north, Rambam Street to the east, and to the west and south on main traffic routes – Bar Ilan and Weizman Boulevard.

The plan includes 1,455 new housing units that will be built in nine buildings with a height of 25 floors and eight buildings with a height of 10 floors. Out of all the housing units in the program, 383 will be allocated in favor of small apartments. The program has a mechanism for establishing housing units in the scope of 145 housing units (10%) out of the total housing units and as an addition to the total number of housing units in the program.

In addition to the housing units, the plan includes 2,900 square meters for commercial areas that will be integrated as active facades in the residential buildings towards Weizman Street and Bar Ilan, 6,850 square meters for employment areas, about 5 dunams for public buildings and institutions and built-up areas on the ground floors for public allocations in the residential buildings to the extent of 3,400 square meters. In addition, the plan allocates 8.5 dunams of open spaces that include the Six Days Park, which is part of a high-quality green axis within the plan's area.

In terms of transportation, the program is within walking distance and near metro and light rail stations, which gives it an advantage in terms of accessibility. Understanding the importance of creating high connectivity to the urban road network and creating a road network that encourages walking throughout the complex, the plan creates a new street in the east-west direction and connections to the park, as well as infrastructure for the establishment of a bicycle path on Bar Ilan Street.

Today, the complex has 276 housing units in 16 4-story buildings that have been renovated for the project.

The Chairman of the National Planning Commission and the Chairman of the National Planning Headquarters, Rabbi Natan Alantan said after the approval that "I am proud to approve for deposit a plan for urban renewal in the city of Ramla. The plan will bring with it development and accessibility and will maintain a public transportation-oriented and pedestrian-oriented space for the city's residents. The plan joins the series of urban renewal plans in Ramla that have been approved by the Ministry of Defense (Ramla Ben Gurion and Ramla Herzl approved) and adds to the momentum of urban renewal in the city."

Hotmal's planner, architect Sigi Barry: "The plan offers an intensive urban planning biased towards walking with access to public transportation and bicycle paths near metro stations and the light rail's brown line. A mix of uses is proposed that produce active facades towards the paths, the open public areas, the streets and the central axes. Rejuvenating the urban fabric, densifying housing units and creating high accessibility close to public transportation are among the cornerstones of the HTML and at the center of the committee's work."

The plan was prepared by Giora Gor Architects.