(live here) – The Haifa Municipality's Local Planning and Building Committee has appealed the district committee's decision to approve a plan to build assisted living in the Mount Carmel Hotel complex, while changing the land's zoning from a hotel to special housing. The objections focus on harming the historic character of the building, the green landscape surrounding it, and contradicting the provisions of TAMA 12/1 for the protection of areas designated for hotels. The hearing is now moving to a higher court, with the aim of deciding whether the plan will be canceled.
The plan to build a sheltered housing complex at 105 Derech Hayam Street
In November 2024, the District Committee approved a plan to build an assisted living complex at 105 Derech Hayam Street, which will include approximately 280 housing units. The plan includes preserving the existing building and adding two floors above it, along with constructing two new buildings – one 11 stories high and the other 8 stories high. However, the project requires the cutting down of protected trees in the area of the complex, which has sparked public criticism.
The plan was submitted in April 2024 and sparked many objections, including from the local committee. Although some of the proposals were accepted, the district committee rejected the main argument against changing the land's zoning from hotels to assisted living. As a result, the local committee filed an appeal in an attempt to change the decision.
Mount Carmel Hotel: Glorious History and Unique Architecture
The building, originally called the "Teltsch Hotel", was designed by architect Leopold Kraków and is considered one of his most important works. During World War II, it served as a British command center, and later as a Clalit Health Services convalescent home. The hotel closed in 2013 and has been abandoned ever since.
Following the approval of the plan in November 2024, a number of significant changes were made: the number of housing units was reduced to 250, the construction area was reduced, and the height of the new wing was limited to only seven stories. It was also decided that some of the public areas in the complex would be opened to the general public.
The fear of harming the character of the complex
The appeal filed by the local committee claims that the change of zoning eliminates the hotel-public character of the building and harms the green space surrounding it. In addition, the construction of the new buildings will overshadow the historic building and harm its unique architectural values.
It is also claimed that the plan presents a false representation of the preservation of the building, but in practice does not preserve its character as determined in previous decisions. The local committee emphasizes that additional construction above the building will irreversibly change its appearance.
TAMA 12/1 provisions and opposition to the zoning change
According to the provisions of TAMA 12/1, a plan that reduces the area designated for hotels is required to allocate alternative area of a similar scope. Possible exceptions require a recommendation from a representative of the Minister of Tourism or approval from the National Planning and Building Council, but the appeal claims that none of these conditions were met in this case.
It is also claimed that the plan was submitted without consulting the Tourism Committee and without the Ministry of Tourism's consideration, which makes the procedure improper. The local committee warns that changing the zoning will harm the city's tourism infrastructure and set a dangerous precedent for future development.
Possible harm to the public interest
According to the local committee, there is no planning justification for changing the zoning, and that the move serves private interests only. The appeal noted that in the past, exceptional building percentages were approved for adjacent lots based on the preservation of the hotel. If the developers' intention to change the zoning had been known, previous decisions might have been made differently.
The Preservation Committee's objection
The Conservation Committee discussed the plan in January 2023 and recommended that it be rejected due to the unusual volume of construction and the felling of trees for conservation. The committee determined that the historic structure should be preserved in its entirety and a revised plan should be submitted. Despite its recommendations, the District Committee approved a plan that included new construction, which prompted further criticism from the local committee.
Will the appeal be accepted and result in the cancellation of the land use change? The decision will be made in the higher court to which the appeal was submitted.
This is one of the historic hotel complexes in Haifa. It is an international style building for preservation. It is a special complex with a glorious past that any city would work to preserve.
If there is no demand for hotels, temporary zoning changes can be permitted but the strict preservation obligation must be maintained. For example: a building for clinics, or a building for kindergartens.
Why do we need to push for assisted living there? There are endless assisted living buildings in Haifa. It's enough to fill Haifa with nursing homes. There's a limit to how many nursing homes there should be in Carmel.
Problematic issue, Michal. Happy Shabbat and blessings to you, Michal.
A problematic issue, preserving the building with a change in purpose or maintaining a theoretical future hotel with an abandoned and neglected building for the near future... After all, Yuval Alon owns the land, but in my opinion, not the developers of the assisted living facility.
What is preservation and what is harm to the character or the number of hotels in the city… The building has been abandoned for 10 years in the city center. If someone is willing to do something with it, that is welcome. You can say about any building that it is "for preservation". Every building was designed by some architect. In the meantime, it is a dump
Yuval Alon destroyed a lovely green corner in Carmel and wants to continue destroying with another monster when all the infrastructure in the area is unable to absorb the number of users. Yuval Alon received relief on the buildings surrounding the hotel based on the promise to preserve the hotel, so he will preserve it.
This is the developer's private space!
For over a decade!!
He's the one who neglected him!
Yuval Alon received building rights in the adjacent areas that were open in the hotel garden, 143 housing units in the "White City" project. One of the conditions for the addition of these expanded rights, in an area that was not intended for residential use, was the restoration and preservation of the hotel.
Instead, the hotel remained neglected and abandoned for a decade.
Why would he get an award for this???
Imagine that a man has neglected his house for years and now, in order to renovate it, he comes and demands money from the municipality in the form of building rights.
The hotel is responsible for restoring it as it promised!
Shame!
Is there no continuity in government?
The previous municipal government concluded all commercial terms with the developer (and enough to hint at). Is another "conclusion" needed?