The Jerusalem Municipality has approved a master plan for the Talpiot neighborhood that will include some 8,600 new housing units and 1.3 million square meters of commercial space.
The plan had been adopted by Jerusalem’s Planning and Construction Committee in November and has now received final approval by the District Planning Committee.
The Talpiot master plan, designed by Molcho Architects, is one of the city’s largest-ever strategic plans, the municipality said. It includes dozens of new commercial and residential buildings up to 30 stories high, as well as open areas and public playgrounds, with an emphasis on accessible public transportation.
These will create space for thousands of new jobs, the municipality said.
In recent years, Talpiot has evolved from a drab industrial zone to one of the city’s employment, tech and culture centers, and students and young families have moved in.
The plan stipulates that some housing in the neighborhood be set aside as smaller, low-budget apartments for young residents. Schools, synagogues, parks, sports and health facilities are also planned.
“The master plan for the Talpiot district is a great example of an advanced and vibrant urban space where businesses and jobs are next to housing and cultural buildings, making the best use of the limited land resource,” Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said. “This is for the benefit of all residents of the city and those who are interested in establishing their home there.”
While Talpiot currently poses a transportation nightmare, the new plan proposes a comprehensive vision that will prioritize the use of public transportation and nonmotorized traffic while discouraging the use of private vehicles. The Jerusalem Light Rail will pass through the area and will connect to intercity train lines, making the area accessible to visitors from outside the city.
Other transportation projects planned include a level separation on Hebron Road near the Asher Wiener Tunnel and connecting the southern section of Pierre Koenig Street to Moshe Baram Boulevard to improve access to the neighborhood.
A parking lot is also being built on Pierre Koenig, and Road 16 will be extended through an underground route from Bait junction to Moshe Baram Boulevard. These projects will allow optimal traffic flow to the renewed Talpiot district and the surrounding neighborhoods, the municipality said.