Get ready to be pleasantly surprised: A significant and forward-looking regional meeting is scheduled for today, January 29, at Beit Tzionei America in Tel Aviv, showcasing the tremendous potential emerging in central Israel's most developing region - Bika’at Ono.
The event, initiated by Real Estate Media's CEO Club and moderated by real estate editor and analyst Ofer Petersburg, is being broadcast live on Walla Real Estate starting at 10:00 AM. It will bring together local authority heads, leading development and construction company executives, senior construction industry officials, prominent architects, and other key figures to discuss crucial topics such as planning, new construction, and urban renewal in the Bika’at Ono communities (Kiryat Ono, Ganei Tikva, Givat Shmuel, Yehud-Monosson, and Or Yehuda) as well as Petah Tikva.
The meeting aims to foster open and productive dialogue among all stakeholders who will shape the region's future, promoting innovative and effective plans while revealing hidden opportunities right under Israel's nose in Bika’at Ono.
Elazar Bamberger, head of the Government Authority for Urban Renewal, will provide a comprehensive overview of urban renewal in Israel over the past year. Some of the data he will reveal: During 2024, some 143 urban renewal plans were approved nationwide, comprising approximately 56,782 housing units in total. About 20% of the housing units were approved under evacuation-construction programs (Pinui u’Binui), promoted and authorized by the authority.
This is an intriguing statistic, as Bamberger explains, since the annual target for urban renewal set in the strategic housing plan approved by the Israeli government stands at 31,250 housing units annually from 2021-2025. "These figures highlight the growing trend of urban renewal in the country, designed to address the need for quality and affordable housing while upgrading residents' quality of life in high-demand areas," he said.
Additionally, ahead of the conference, local authority heads gathered and presented fascinating data about planning, construction, and urban renewal in their cities. Here's what they shared:
Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg: "Petah Tikva undergoes renewal and regeneration processes daily. We at the municipality continue tirelessly to develop the city within the established strategic planning framework. This is aimed at expanding, building, and responding to the growing number of businesses in the city and residents' needs.
“Accordingly, we are promoting a comprehensive strategic plan that takes into account all the necessary public components and needs to support the city's continued development and urban renewal, alongside upgrading all public infrastructure, environmental development, residential neighborhoods, employment areas, and leisure and culture centers,” he said. “We will continue to advance the city with a forward-looking vision emphasizing all current needs and those anticipated in the future."
City Engineer Itzik Ozelbo: "Petah Tikva is experiencing tremendous development momentum. The city is undergoing impressive upgrades with evacuation-construction projects, advanced transportation infrastructure, and business development bringing new and exciting possibilities. We're not just building new neighborhoods - we're creating a green, accessible, and advanced urban environment that provides quality and future-oriented housing solutions. I believe that thanks to the revolutionary plans we're promoting, Petah Tikva will continue to develop at a rapid pace and maintain its position as one of Israel's leading cities."
Or Yehuda Mayor Liat Shochat: "Or Yehuda is undergoing extraordinary development momentum with the establishment of new neighborhoods, upgrading of older neighborhoods, and no less than 20 urban renewal programs currently being promoted at full steam. We ensure that longtime city residents can enjoy new apartments that meet earthquake standards and include protected spaces, but beyond the physical structures, we constantly work to nurture our amazing community.
“We are currently establishing OPARK, our new employment and commercial complex that will provide thousands of jobs for city residents and the surrounding area, which will also serve as one of Israel's most advanced leisure and entertainment hubs,” she said. “There is definitely much to look forward to."
Ganei Tikva Mayor Lizy Delitzsch: "The Lev HaBik'a neighborhood, to be established in northern Ganei Tikva, is based on the unification and division of private lands. It will include 1,200 housing units and 250,000 square meters of commercial and employment space, expected to drive the entire area toward economic growth. The neighborhood will combine buildings ranging from 8 to 24 floors, alongside extensive public spaces including 43 dunams [4.3 hectares] for public institutions and 38 dunams for open spaces.
"The 'Lev HaBik'a' neighborhood is expected to significantly upgrade the city and transform it into a vibrant center combining residence, business, and public services,” she said. “The new neighborhood represents a golden opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses joining it. Thanks to a 'green track' provided by the local authority for planning and approval procedures, developers can enjoy a quick and focused process for establishing various projects.
“Additionally, the business property tax rate in Ganei Tikva is relatively low compared to nearby commercial areas, making investment in the neighborhood particularly worthwhile for entrepreneurs and business owners."
According to Delitzsch, the Lev HaBik'a neighborhood will increase the city's commercial and employment areas tenfold and attract businesses from all sectors – from boutique shops to hi-tech companies – thanks to its strategic location and excellent transportation accessibility. Transportation is a central component in the neighborhood's planning, aiming to reduce private car use and promote “walkable city” values combining bicycle paths and advanced public transportation.
Accordingly, the plan includes dedicated lanes and establishing a strategic public transportation terminal near Road 471, along with developing bicycle paths and green axes designated for pedestrian walking.
"New residents and business owners joining the neighborhood will enjoy convenient access to services, employment, and commerce close to home, while reducing road congestion and improving air quality in the city,” the mayor said. “Investment in smart transportation infrastructure is our way of ensuring higher quality of life and connecting community, accessibility, and green environment."
Yehud-Monosson Mayor Amnon Saad: "Since my election to the position about 10 months ago, Yehud-Monosson has entered an accelerated development process. In accordance with the urban policy I outlined and through joint work of city management and all municipal factors, in full partnership with developers, we are removing obstacles and working to promote and implement the urban renewal plan in the city.
“We cannot recover the lost years when city development stood still, but we are doing all the preparations and professional work to enable developers to advance urban renewal projects,” he said. “This won't be an easy period for residents of the old city when several new complexes will be built simultaneously, but there is no alternative - the city must move forward and reduce gaps relative to neighboring cities," Saad said.
"Additionally, work is progressing in the Gadot neighborhood, bordering Kiryat Savyonim and extending to the Savyon Junction west of the city. There is tremendous demand for apartment purchases, and we expect construction progress in additional projects marketed by the Ministry of Construction and Housing. Simultaneously, preliminary work has begun by the Yehud-Monosson Economic Development Company in the Magshimim neighborhood, bordering Moshav Magshimim on the city's eastern side,” the mayor shared.
“Furthermore, we are promoting the development plan for a commercial and employment complex in the southern city bordering the Airports Authority, which will include, among other things, a hotel, convention center, and event halls that will serve as an important economic anchor and support urban renewal.
“I foresee significant economic prosperity for our city and the absorption of many residents within three to seven years, up to tripling the number of residents to 100,000. We still have a long way to go, but I am determined to bring Yehud-Monosson to a better and more worthy place."
Givat Shmuel Mayor Yossi Brodny: "When arriving in Givat Shmuel, the first thing you notice is the development and construction momentum the city has been experiencing in recent years - dozens of cranes adorn the various neighborhoods and tell the story of a developing city at the peak of a momentum and renewal process alongside building new neighborhoods, upgrading and adding infrastructure throughout the city, public buildings, sports halls, culture and leisure facilities, commercial and business centers, and the crown jewel - the light rail work expected to transform the city's face and bring it within minutes of travel from central Tel Aviv," he said.
Real estate company executives leading new construction and urban renewal projects in Bika’at Ono are also preparing for the conference.
Gal Castel, Deputy CEO of Oron Real Estate: "The recent war further emphasized the need for urban renewal and providing security to Israeli residents. The residents have internalized it; the developers understood. The third side remains – the municipal authority, without which the plan cannot be promoted. The question is when will the authorities adjust resources and internalize the understanding that urban renewal in Israel is not a privilege? Urban renewal in Israel is a basic right."
Polly Tatro, Partner and Founder of Top Capital: "For over 70 years, we and our forebears have been building a country here, and now in the next 70 years, we and our children bear the responsibility to renew it. Urban renewal is a complex process combining many economic, security, social, and environmental aspects. Beyond the physical aspect of renovating or rebuilding structures, it presents a unique opportunity to strengthen the community, reduce social gaps, improve quality of life, and encourage economic growth.
“In every city in Israel that seeks to change its face and become a modern, sustainable city, it is clear and known that the best way to do this is to give clear priority to urban renewal projects and promote them more vigorously,” she said. “Over recent years, as part of our contribution to urban renewal, we have found many advantages including: improving residents' quality of life, substantial contribution to personal security, energy efficiency, increasing housing supply, improving infrastructure and transportation, encouraging new businesses, improving city appearances, increasing property values, and many other benefits.
“As a company financing these projects, we are full partners in turning this vision into reality,” Tatro said. “We believe that investing in urban renewal is an investment in all our futures and especially in the continued strength and resilience of the State of Israel."
Meir Baron, Head of Urban Renewal and the Business Development Manager at Y.H. Damari: "Or Yehuda has many urban renewal projects at various stages. Damari is currently establishing a particularly significant project of this type in the Savyon complex in the Kiryat Giora neighborhood.
“The project includes the construction of 808 new housing units, including 106 small apartments in a complex spanning 29 dunams [almost three hectares],” he said. “Besides residential units, the plan includes extensive public buildings (approximately 12,000 square meters), including daycare centers and kindergartens, construction of new synagogues to replace the old ones, and extensive green areas that will connect to Park Canada, parallel to Road 461, allowing high accessibility by foot, public transportation, and private vehicles,” Baron said.
“All of these create a complete urban continuity that will help establish and develop a strong and resilient urban community that consumes all its services close to home,” the urban renewal head said. “In recent years, Or Yehuda has been undergoing a development process, manifested in the establishment of new neighborhoods and the entry of new populations into the city. We see a desire from the municipality and management to shorten the time for such projects to mature, and we welcome this and hope that it is a trend that will strengthen and spread to other cities as well.
“There is no doubt that Or Yehuda is a city that understands that urban renewal is the key to economic and social growth, as seen in numerous projects in the Kiryat Giora neighborhood and throughout the city."
Daniella Paz Erez, CEO and Owner of Urban Dashboard and Paz Economics and Engineering: "Feasibility testing and preliminary planning processes take weeks and even months due to linear work and dependence on external professionals, leading to waste of precious resources, significant delays, lack of process flexibility, and inability to make real-time changes – all of which harm project profitability and even put it at risk.
“Urban Dashboard is an advanced SaaS platform designed for developers, planners, and local authorities,” Paz Erez said. “Using the platform enables parametric three-dimensional planning on a rich geographic information (GIS) environment while presenting immediate analyses and insights. Using Urban Dashboard allows receiving economic, programmatic, transportation, and environmental insights during planning, similar to using a BIM model. The day is not far when we won't understand how we promoted urban renewal projects without using a model in the initial testing and planning stage."
Architect Gil Shenhav, Founding Partner at Canaan Shenhav Architects: "Compound urban renewal of entire neighborhoods creates an exceptional opportunity for rethinking urban space. When we plan mega evacuation-construction projects, we're not just replacing old buildings with new ones – we're renewing the entire public space, emphasizing streets, squares, active facades, and human scale.
“The mechanism of mixed-use creates new character and faces for the neighborhood. Whether in the center or in regional cities, neighborhood-scale projects allow us to combine high-rise construction with textural building and advanced planning of public space,” he said. “Such planning allows us to create a living environment that combines all the needs of modern city residents: quality housing, commerce, employment, education, culture, sports and leisure, including green spaces and advanced infrastructure.
“The key to the success of new neighborhoods and mega-projects is creating a place that is much more than a collection of buildings,” Shenhav shared. “We're talking about creating a living and vibrant urban space that serves residents' needs and creates a real community."
Ariel Pokotinsky, CEO of ECOWALL: "When discussing urban renewal and building new neighborhoods, it's important to adopt solutions that will ensure not only residents' safety but also their quality of life for years to come. The combination of safety, construction quality, and architectural flexibility will shape the urban space in the coming years.
“After more than 42 years of using the traditional Bornowitz method, there is a crucial need to adopt innovative solutions in building cladding,” he said. “Through advanced technology, backed by six registered patents, we offer a solution ensuring high safety, providing improved insulation and protection against weather hazards, while simultaneously giving architects significant planning space. The significant advantage of our method is the planning flexibility it allows. Unlike traditional methods, the system offers a wide range of designs, sizes, and finishing materials, so each project can receive its unique identity while meeting the green standard 6560."