Tower of 20 Floors Approved for Sokolov House Compound in Tel Aviv

In depth

The Tel Aviv Local Planning and Building Committee has approved the design plan for the compound at 4 Kaplan Street. According to the plan, the front wing of the 1950s building will be preserved, and a 20-story tower will be built alongside it. The compound includes 114 apartments and about 5,000 square meters for commerce and employment. The plan is being prepared in cooperation with Foster + Partners. The compound, most of which is currently closed, will be opened to the public with an open passage to Itamar Ben-Avi Street and a courtyard with old trees, including the olive tree planted in memory of journalist Ilan Roeh.

The compound was bought in 2015 for 172 million shekels. The property owners are Phoenix and Reality, and the plan received a green light from the local committee and is on its way to a permit. The building has become a symbol of Israeli journalism, and it will undergo restoration as part of the project.

In addition to preserving the facade and opening the compound to the public, the plan adds broad commercial areas and a passage that will connect to Itamar Ben-Avi Street. This preserves the connection between the historic building and the street and the neighborhood around it.