Jerusalem Committee Approves Pinui-Binui Project Near U.S. Embassy Site
The Jerusalem District Committee approved a pinui-binui project by BY Jerusalem Homes Group near the U.S. Embassy site, featuring a 30-story tower and 100 new housing units.
The Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee has approved for deposit the pinui-binui (evacuation-construction) project proposed by the BY Jerusalem Homes Group at the Banks Junction in Jerusalem. This approval comes several months after the company secured the required majority among apartment owners in the complex.
Strategic Location and Project Scope
The project is strategically located between the Arnona and Talpiot neighborhoods, along Hebron Road and Ein Gedi Street, directly on the route of the Jerusalem Light Rail Blue Line. According to the master plan, three existing buildings comprising 27 apartments and a commercial unit will be demolished. In their place, the company will construct a 30-story residential tower containing approximately 100 new housing units. The plan also incorporates built-in public areas and a commercial frontage along Ein Gedi Street and Hebron Road.
The complex sits on the edge of a height-restriction zone established due to its proximity to the planned U.S. Embassy at the Allenby compound. Consequently, the design skillfully integrates low-rise construction within the restricted zone and high-rise construction just outside it. The project was designed by architect Carlos Pros from Pros Architects.
Executive Commentary
Avishai Mairovitch, VP of Business Development at BY Jerusalem Homes Group: "We welcome another significant milestone in advancing this project. This is an innovative and groundbreaking design that provides a precise response to height limitations stemming from the proximity to the U.S. Embassy, while simultaneously leveraging the location along the Blue Line to create a residential tower, public spaces, and a commercial frontage that will revitalize the street. We thank the planning authorities at the municipality and the district committee for their cooperation, and we continue to advance the project full steam ahead."
This project adds to the broad portfolio of the BY Jerusalem Homes Group in the capital. The company is currently advancing more than 10,000 housing units in the city, alongside thousands of square meters of employment and commercial spaces.
In late July, the company won a tenant tender near the embassy. Even then, plans were set to demolish older structures and build a complex comprising about 280 apartments. The company was well aware of the height restrictions on the land, which stem from an agreement between the U.S. and Israeli governments designed to preserve visual and security limitations near the embassy. Now, Phase A is officially underway after achieving the necessary majority in this specific complex.
