Plan for Second-Tallest Building Approved

Tel Aviv planning authorities have approved a project to build an 80-floor office building that would become the second-tallest building in the country, Globes reports.

The proposed building is only one of a complex of four high-rises that make up the Keren Hakirya project, in the northeast section of the Kirya Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The other buildings include a 50-floor office building and two 45-floor residential structures.

The plan, a joint initiative of the Israel Land Authority and the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality was approved three years ago by the Municipality’s Planning and Building Committee and received preliminary approval last year by the Tel Aviv District Committee.

The entire project of four buildings will include 750 apartments totaling 59,400 square yards, 149,000 square yards of office space, and 23,000 square yards of commercial space. Some of the office space may be used for commerce or as hotels.

The 80-floor building will be built pending permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to insure it will not pose a hazard to air traffic. If the CAA says no, the building will be revised downward to 50 floors.

In any case, it will not be the tallest building in Israel: That distinction goes to the fourth Azrieli tower, at 85-floors high, also in Tel Aviv.