The plan, promoted by Israel Residence and the Ben David Group, includes two towers with 390 residential units, 20% of which will be up to 55 square meters. The approved plan differs from a previous version submitted for deposit, with fewer floors and apartments. The square at the heart of the Davidka complex in central Jerusalem has historical significance dating back to the early years of the state and was converted into a hostel for backpackers alongside residential and commercial spaces.
By Doron Breutman, Nadlan Center
The Jerusalem Urban Renewal Subcommittee approved last week the deposit of the “Davidka Complex” plan in Jerusalem, under which two towers are expected to be built—one 38 stories high and the other 39 stories high—containing 390 residential units. According to the plan’s provisions, 20% of the residential units will be small apartments of up to 55 square meters.
The plan, promoted by A.B.N.R. Even Israel Residence, owned by Nahum Rosenberger, and Beit Davidka Ltd., a project company of the Ben David Group, spans 4.5 dunams and is located in the city center of Jerusalem, between Nevi’im Street to the north, Jaffa Street to the south, and Ki’ach Street to the west. The plan’s architect is Aharon Zilberstein. The site currently houses a building with three wings—two residential and one serving as a hotel hostel, the “Abraham Hostel.” The structure includes a shared commercial floor slated for demolition under the plan.
The newly approved plan differs from the previous version submitted for deposit in a discussion by the District Committee in February 2024. The earlier plan included a single 43-story tower with 456 residential units, but following a request from the developer for a revised design with two towers, the plan was resubmitted for deposit at the end of January.
According to the plan’s explanatory notes, “the current plan proposes urban renewal through evacuation-reconstruction and establishing a mixed-use complex for residential, commercial, employment, office, hospitality, and public institutions. The plan regulates the light rail’s passage through the area, which will be transferred to the Jerusalem Municipality. Additionally, it proposes access to a future Israel Railways platform planned beneath the light rail line.”
In the state’s early years, the square at the heart of the complex was known as “Flag House Square,” from which funeral processions and protests departed. In the 1950s, it was decided to erect memorials commemorating the War of Independence, and in 1956, the Davidka Monument (a type of mortar) was built. The building on the site was constructed in the 1950s and originally served as a youth hostel named “Davidka,” later converted into a backpacker hostel called “Abraham Hostel,” alongside residential apartments above a commercial ground floor that has housed various businesses over the years, including barbershops, grocery stores, clothing shops, and jewelry stores.
