The continuation of the trip along the Hubert Humphrey wharf leads to the Bat Galim Promenade, on which stands the concrete skeleton of the iconic building most associated with the neighborhood, a.k.a. The casino building The famous one located at Margolin Pier 1.
Casino Bat Galim
The casino building was established in 1937, following the committee's decision to open Bat Galim from 1932. The building permit from 1934 refers to a building that includes a restaurant, a ballroom, an Olympic swimming pool and a regulated beach. The design of the building was entrusted to the architect Alfred Goldberger, which we will expand on later.
The design of the building was innovative for its time. It included pillars that were set up in the sea, a glass floor through which you could watch the sea waves and more. The ground floor was used as the cloakroom for the restaurant and the swimming pool.
On the first floor was an event and dance floor. On the third floor there was a stand from which you could look down on the dance floor of the first floor and also an open balcony overlooking the sea. Finally, the third floor had a tiled roof that was used for outdoor events.
The building planner
The designer of the building was the architect Alfred Goldberger, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of Vienna who immigrated to Israel in 1933, as part of the Fifth Aliya. He designed a number of buildings in Haifa, among them the "Apothecary Bank" on Bankim Street, corner of Allenby Street, and the "Refinery Workers' Housing" in Carmel.
A brief history of the casino
The heyday of "Casino Bat Galim", in which the roulette wheel never turned, was during the years of the British occupation, when it hosted artists from Israel and abroad, among them Josephine Baker The legendary that came straight from Paris. The casino was a center of attraction and entertainment for the top of the administration and the British officers in Israel. It continued to operate even after the establishment of the state, but in the 60s the wheel of fortune began to turn.
A chain of purchases and transfers from hand to hand between interested parties began which, in the bottom line, caused the ongoing deterioration of the building.
In 1968 the building was purchased by the Haifa Workers Council which operated it for several years.
In the 70s the building was closed and in the 90s it was purchased by the Israel Lands Administration, with the aim of turning it into a complex of event halls.
During the restoration operations, a large part of the original building was destroyed and in its place was built a concrete skeleton similar to the original standing today. MMI's plan was not realized either. In 2004, there was a plan to turn the casino into a boutique hotel, but this plan did not progress either.
In 2018, it was announced that the University of Haifa was conducting negotiations to purchase the building, but I do not know what the situation is today.
The casino needs luck
The casino, which never operated as a casino, is proof that buildings, like people, need a touch of luck.
Since the 60s, in a series of acquisitions and unrealized plans, the building continues to crumble. The casino hopes that luck will summon an enlightened entrepreneur, aware of the architectural value of the building, who will know how to return it to its glory days while respecting its historical past.
Dear readers,
The articles in this section are based on open information published in sources such as Wikipedia and other websites and may include various historical inaccuracies arising from the aforementioned sources.
Criminal neglect by all owners since the 1960s. Including a lack of vision for this city.
What a shame.
The casino is out of luck. One of Margolin's children who operated the swimming pool was killed when he jumped from the high jump into the pool in the 1950s.
Thanks for your response, indeed, the casino was unlucky. You tell about another tragic incident that reinforces this feeling.
uncle Shalom,
You wrote: The famous casino building located at Margolin Pier 1.
The address is incorrect.
The odd numbers are along the boardwalk from the cable car to Bat Galim Avenue and continue to the wall of the Navy base
Opposite the casino stands a building on the corner whose address is 29 Pinchas Margolin.
And this is the "beginning" of the street.
Wharf Aharon Rosenfeld 1, the beginning of the street, is the first building adjacent to the wall in the Navy Yard.
In the past, the whole street was called Rehov Hatchelet. Later his name was split in order to honor two of the neighborhood's most beloved.
In conclusion, do not know the address of the casino. Interesting question.
Maybe Sderot Bat Galim 0 maybe Pinchas Margolin 2 🙂
Best regards,
Haim Y.
thank you for your response. A mistake may have been made, because of what is listed on the Internet, but I don't think it is critical. We all know where it is…
Klish has destroyed our city for 5 years, neglected the market, Hadar, the boardwalk, the roads, disappointed with Owood!!!!
Like Haifa itself... everything is crumbling...
thank you for your response.
All the best to you Dr. David Bar On. Have a good week
Thanks so much for your response. I will handle the error correction.
The architect's name was Alfred Goldenberg, not Adolf. He claims his insult.
Haifa has not had a mayor for at least 5 years. Funny to hear that they expect something from the municipality..
thank you for your response. Let's hope that the situation will change this year.
My parents were married in this casino in 1949.
thank you for your response.
Need a seal. Then they will fix it
The state does not know how to preserve buildings
Thanks for your responses, Eyal and Meir. The planning of the place is a heavy issue. The municipality can announce an architectural design competition and then it is certain that interesting proposals would be received, as they would do in the enlightened world.
And it is really appropriate to find out publicly how an area of a public municipal pool became an area that belongs to the owner of the casino building.
There was an illegal annexation of a public area that is fenced off - 50 meters of beach were stolen from the public.
When did this crime take place?
What tourists will the casino structure attract? It is treated as if it were a Bahá'í temple or the church of Stella Maris.
This structure was built to be leisure and entertainment, not a casino but a restaurant and dance hall on the beach.
I am not in favor of demolishing, I said that if the alternative is to turn it into a fenced compound with 4 meter walls as requested by the developer and be closed to the public
So it is better that it be destroyed as a dangerous structure, and by the way from the corrosion near the sea it does become a dangerous structure with each additional year just like the previous one.
Regarding attracting tourists, it seems to me that the demolition of the casino building, the construction of an urban elegant building of restaurants, a surf center and beach services such as locker rooms and next to it a large wooden deck with the extension of Bat Galim beach will attract many times more tourism. Tel Aviv Municipality thinks like me, that's why it insisted on demolishing old buildings in the port and dolphinarium and designating them for public buildings with service to the beaches. For the same reason, Gordon Pool was also fenced off so that there would be as much of a promenade around it as possible. And here the casino developer wants to take a huge area of beach and take the public out of it, which will prevent him from taking over an area that used to be a public pool!!! and turn it into events behind a wall.
It's a shame that no owners were found to restore the casino. It's time to do this, it will attract many visitors and tourists a boost they really need
thank you for your response. Usually, if you look for it, you get it!
This is a cry for generations. This is how they destroy a beautiful city that stands in the first row in terms of beauty and scenery with the most famous cities in the world, Cape Town, Naples and more. The casino and the Olympic blessing complex were an architectural attraction that any other city would be proud of. But in Israel there is no value in preserving and developing - the motto is to destroy and build ugly yielding real estate. See all the Magedim who built on the wonderful Mount Carmel and hide the beautiful green mountain. I was born in Haifa, I lived in a German colony and also on the Carmel. Life directed me to other places but Haifai blood flows in my veins to this very day.
thank you for your response.
It would be good if they destroy the building and build the ice surface like in Eilat as a tourist attraction
thank you for your response.
In Haifa everything is being destroyed. Haifa is rich in ancient treasures. among the ancients. Why not renovate it, it will be used by the municipality. In another abandoned place, the city is still in ruins, a large garbage can, an unused collection, others are taking advantage of the place for the sake of its residents
thank you for your response. Haifa needs a mayor with initiative and executive ability similar to Tel Aviv.
There is a lot of potential in the restoration of this building, it can attract a lot of tourists
thank you for your response. See comment above.
Maybe for a change establish a casino there for tourists and thereby also help in turning Haifa into a tourist city with additional jobs for its residents?
thank you for your response. As the trackers say - it's an idea...!
It's really not a bad thing to say goodbye to a crumbling and dangerous building...we also say goodbye to dear people day and night...it's important to invest in Bat Galim's boardwalk, it might be a coveted gem.
thank you for your response. This building has the potential to raise the value of the boardwalk and the entire neighborhood that is undergoing a welcome renewal process.
The article did not specify a month in 1970. . I got married in this hall in the month of 4/1970
It was hugely charming, and very impressive. Everything looks new and beautiful and undamaged. Beautiful memories from this lovely place. It's a shame to destroy such a place in front of the sea.
thank you for your response.
The building is lucky, it stands at its natural size and is empty of dreamy plans that might destroy it.
Why not leave it as it is as a souvenir of the nostalgic Bat Galim days rather than become another restaurant or hotel that will only attract more vehicles and traffic jams and disturb the peace of this special promenade.
thank you for your response. Oh this luck! It would be better to revive it and renew its activity in a way that would benefit the public.
I wish someone would take the place and turn it back into a lively and eventful place like it used to be. My sister got married there and it was a stunning and happy wedding. I have wonderful memories of this beautiful place. Too bad, my heart hurts. The casino can flourish and flourish this beautiful place.
There are 3 options to continue:
The first as Eyal asks to destroy the building. This of course involves expropriation of the property by looters. From here it will not happen.
The second is to approve building additions as requested by the developers, in a design that does not harm the main design of the existing building.
The third is to do nothing. This is the easiest option for the municipality's pensioners, so there is a good chance that this will continue.
Thank you for your response, please see my response to Uzi Avraham.
To come and say to destroy with my own hands such an important object as the Bat Galim Casino, I call this impudence and indifference and consideration for the preservation of history that is so important to each of the sons and daughters of the Bat Galim neighborhood where we all grew up with a history so rich and full of interest that none of us is willing to give up !!!!!
In light of this, another thought is required again for the preservation of an unforgettable period!
One must try to recruit the best experts and minds before any fateful step, which may seriously damage the stories of our Bat Galim heritage, because the pain will be sevenfold for the destruction of history due to lack of consideration and stupidity for its sake!!!!
Thank you dear Uzi for your comment. May the representatives of the emerging neighborhood lead a real restoration of the building for the benefit of the public.
The neglect of the Bat Galim promenade is extremely painful, a beautiful gem that the municipality for generations has not been able to understand what lies in it. Look at Paphos and Limassol, what tourism, sages dream is what our country has. Go learn what to do with such potential.
Yona Yahav..
The big loser
Deserves to continue the destruction and neglect of Haifa for 20 years
The liar says he created the port campus. A complete lie, he injected tens of millions to his friend Avi Beitan to establish the fake college of the Carmel Academic Center, which was closed. Buy buildings and then pour as public drugs to get rich.
Now they are pushing a luxury apartment tower in the Pike College area
Scammers on you Haifa, crooks and real estate thieves
thank you for your response. Indeed, there is something to learn from the Greeks about how to preserve the past.
Never fight with someone whose financial capabilities are many times higher than yours.
And in our case, the current entrepreneur has time.
The geniuses will grant TMA rights to those close to the plate (singing can also help...) and not where necessary.
Another municipality should take a bulldozer and demolish the building as a dangerous structure
We will not give in to your dictates or anyone who demands 4 meter walls around the casino and turning it into a wall itself 7 stories high..
Won't it happen kapish??
Thank you for your response, but the public is entitled and must fight for its opinion even when a powerful centurion is standing in front of it.
Hello Zalman, there is no reason to turn the casino building into a mini Beit Dagon and approve 6 more floors.
This is a building that should be turned into a sailing and marine safari center like Tel Aviv did with the Dolphinarium. There is no need for any confusion there 38. If it is not appropriate for the entrepreneur to use the existing one, let him sell it.
thank you for your response. My opinion is yours, see also my response above.
The original building of the casino crumbled and therefore the owners were required to restore it. They did so by recasting it in reinforced concrete in the form of the original building. However, at that time the geniuses of the Haifa Municipality refused the requests to approve a building addition according to TMA 38, since in their opinion it is a new building.
A few more such geniuses and we are lost.
thank you for your response. This time, I'm justifying the municipality. The restored building must be preserved (at least) for the public interest.