Passages 4 | "A building of historical importance" • The house at Mebarot 4 in Haifa is facing demolition

This is the house of the architect Shmuel Rozov, one of the most significant architects who built in Haifa in the 1930s

The residents of the building, located on Habarot Street in Haifa, are opposed to the plan that includes the puzzling and inexplicable demolition of a building for preservation "of historical importance" (in the words of the Site Preservation Department) and the unusual extent of the deviations, included in the plan, which is not compatible with the color of the buildings on Habarot Street and the neighborhood as a whole.

A 5-story building on the site of the building designated for preservation

The tenants submitted this week (23/8/20) to the Licensing Division of the Haifa Municipality and to the Haifa Municipality, a letter of objection to the request for the program 38/6025/07 For the construction of a 5-story building on a building designated for preservation on 4 Mabarot Street Block 10766, plot 28.

The conservation department determined that the building is of historical importance to Haifa

In the letter, representatives of Rehov Mabarot stated that they are submitting the objection to the request that was transferred in a quick procedure for publication, and on the face of it bypassing the conservation department.

The tenants request:

• Reject the construction plan 38/6025/07, and not allow the demolition of the property for preservation and the construction of an enormous building in its place.
• To receive a rationale as to why the demolition of the property on Mabarot Street 4 was recommended, when the decision includes only two lines with no explanation, specifying the position of the experts of the site preservation department, and this by virtue of a law amending the procedures of the administrator (decisions and reasoning), 1958-XNUMX.
• Without detracting from the above, receive a detailed explanation of the planning solutions proposed by the owners of the request as part of the demolition in order to preserve the property (which, as mentioned, is planned to be demolished).
• Get a reason why an up-to-date plan was not published in the municipal system in a way that would be transparent to the public. (The plan on the municipality's website describes the construction of 6 housing units, while the publication page mentions the construction of 9 housing units).
  In addition, to get a reason why the deposit of the plan was not published on a sign in front of the lot, according to section 89a of the law 2004-XNUMX.

An asset to Haifa culture and of local urban historical importance

It was also written: "The plan, to which we oppose, includes the demolition of an existing building for preservation, contrary to the recommendations of the preservation experts who inspected the property several times and did not recommend its demolition. Among other things, it was said about the property, which is an asset to the Haifa culture, that it is of "local urban historical importance", among other things The early ones that were established in the "Shambor" neighborhood in the design of Mr. Rosov and that the property includes "signs that characterize many of his works". In previous surveys, conducted by Mr. Shimor Shek, it was recommended and approved by the committee that the property remain on the list of buildings for preservation by the Municipality of Haifa. The property is, as mentioned, in the Shambor neighborhood, and there are many historical tours that include the property on behalf of the Ministry of Education to learn about the city on the eve of the establishment of the state."

Contrary to the extensive review of the experts on the importance of preserving the property, it was decided to demolish it

However, requests from the owners of the plan brought the committee from a meeting on 16/9/2019 to examine a course of demolition "in order to formulate an alternative that proposes to restore/preserve part of the existing building while integrating it with the addition of new construction". Da Aka, without explanation, contrary to the extensive review of the experts on the importance of preserving the property, it was decided at this meeting on demolition while "planning solutions, the design of the building, the finishing materials of the building will be coordinated with the Department of Site Preservation."

Since we were not able to locate any proposed planning solutions for the demolition, which were presented to the public or to the Site Preservation Committee, the announcement to the public about the demolition of the building was published earlier than expected and on the face of it bypassing the Department of Site Preservation, and does not include any explanation consistent with the preservation of the property.

Moreover, the plan includes a long list of deviations in every possible dimension, which do not fit in with the other buildings on Mabarot Street, where buildings are 3-2.5 stories at most. The plan seeks, among other things, to exceed the number of floors of the building, the height of warehouses and parking, in the utilization of construction areas and departure from boundaries in the back, north and south front spaces - deviations that are unreasonable and do not fit with the color of the street and the neighborhood.

A long list of anomalies in every possible dimension

The exceptions presented in the message:

•   Utilization of construction areas in respect of TMA 38/3 a
• An addition of one floor above the permitted in respect of TMA 38/3 a.
•  The height of the building is higher than what is allowed according to the regulations of the 1400 Gb
•  Utilization of a columned floor for living
• The height of the parking floor is above what is allowed according to HF/229 J. 5
•  Height of warehouses above the permitted according to HF/229 J. 5
•  A protrusion to the back space by a wall with openings
•  A projection to the space on the north and west sides by a wall with openings.
•  A protrusion to the southeast side space by a wall with openings and a cambered balcony
• Protrusion to the front space by a gabled balcony
•  High development above what is allowed for the 1400/1 plan

Therefore, not only do we oppose the request that includes so many exceptions, we ask for an explanation as to why it was decided to demolish the property for preservation in order to build a colossal building on it, which exceeds in dimensions the buildings of the street and the neighborhood.

Chairman of the Greens of Haifa, Councilor Avihu Han:

Once again the preservation committee of the mayor Einat Kalish, and her deputy Michael Alper of the Torah Flag, promote the destruction of the historic houses in Haifa. This time it is about 4 Mabarot Street and the house of the famous architect Shmuel Rosov. Slowly but surely they are trying to eliminate Haifa's cultural heritage. Now it becomes clear why Klish fought without compromise to exclude me from the conservation committee.

My hope is that the appeals committee will once again make the right decision as it did in the special house on 8 Nega Street and not allow the destruction of the 4 crossings as Klish and Michi Alper confirmed.

At the conservation committee meeting in 2017, we made the right decision to preserve the house.
The vote of the committee members:
for: Mrs. Hadova Almog, Prof. Yossi Ben Artzi, Mr. Avihu Han, Edr. Walid Karkabi.
against: Mr. Ido Shimshon, Dr. Itai Gilboa.

The decision of the Site Preservation Committee:
After presenting a professional opinion by Mr. Amir Freundlich, an expert in the field of conservation and in light of the cultural significance of the building; Historical, urban and especially architectural, the preservation committee decides to include the building in the list of buildings for preservation of the municipality of Haifa, and this in order to promote the preservation of the building while being able to consider intervention and building additions in a way that respects the morphology and composition of the original work.

Han, a message to here:

These days I am working with the residents of the Carmel Ridge to prevent the demolition of the building.
It is very serious for me that the mayor of Kalish, lends a helping hand and promotes the demolition of a building of one of the most important architects who built in Haifa in the thirties and forties of the last century.
My friends from the Green faction and I are waging a Sisyphean war over the important buildings in Haifa.
The house at 5 Yitzhak St. built by Rozov
The house at 8 Nega St. built by Krakuer
Rabbi Hamavi's house at the Margolin wharf in Bat Galim
The Bauhaus house at 24 Halutz St
and many more houses.
A city that does not preserve its past, its future is shrouded in fog. This is how I see it and this is how I act.

No response was given from the Haifa municipality.