The city is changing its image thanks to modern residential towers, attractive office buildings and hotels of international standard
The drinking project.
3 towers with 216 units
Photo:
Tal Dekel
Produced by the Department of Special Supplements
The city of Acre is turning upside down: an increase of hundreds of percent in the sale of apartments in the last quarter in the towers that pop up in every possible corner.
Even the corona did not stop the swing.
A record number of sales of apartments in residential towers, a significant increase in demand for housing and investment of more than 10% in the Old City and beyond.
Contractors, large companies, entrepreneurs in the field of tourism and housing and realtors report a jump in demand for residential apartments in the last quarter, along with investment properties in the Old City and throughout Acre.
The umbrella agreement, signed in 2017 between the Ministry of Construction and Housing, the Ministry of Finance, the Israel Land Authority and the Municipality of Acre, includes intensive development along the main axes.
The agreement includes the development of 17,780 housing, commercial and employment units, in 8 complexes (on state land).
Some of the complexes established under this agreement have already been marketed.
Senior figures in the restaurants, culture, tourism, nightlife and startup entrepreneurs conducted a joint tour with the Acre Municipality, in collaboration with the Or movement for the Negev and Galilee, in attractive centers throughout the city.
The goal: to examine investments in development as part of a broad plan, designed to return Acre to the top of tourism in Israel, and to prepare for the absorption and hospitality of domestic tourists.
The tour is part of the Equal City program, an initiative designed to help launch the city into economic growth, community development and attract new settlers, initiated by the Or movement for the Negev and Galilee and the municipality of Acre, and in collaboration with the Ministries of Housing and Construction, Settlement, Education and Social Equality.
The program will provide entrepreneurs with business development services and close support for locating investment properties, connecting investors and funds, business partners, government ministries and senior PA officials, assisting in recruiting staff and realizing benefits and government grants.
From a tourist point of view, the Corona plague has eroded a series of prosperous years for Acre, in which the port city recorded a series of development and growth achievements.
This is alongside a number of world tourism awards, having in recent years become one of the leading tourist destinations in Israel.
In 2018, 2 million visitors visited the city, and the tripadvisor.com website called it "the pearl in the cities of Israel."
After the government decided to open the economy extensively, in Acre they start heating engines and preparing for the absorption of tourists.
"The city has undergone a revolution in all areas of life in recent years," says Mayor Shimon Lankri. "Acre is currently experiencing a tremendous development momentum.
Along with building thousands of housing units, the tourism industry is also in full swing.
Many visitors visit its magical sites and enjoy a variety of attractions, boutique hotels, B & Bs and guest rooms. "
Residential towers
The first towers project in Acre, Afgad Towers, includes 3 towers with 24-25 floors and a total of 292 units. Building A is fully populated and Building B has 4 apartments left for sale. Building C will be inhabited for another 4 months, with 15 apartments left for sale.
The buildings with high specifications, a double entrance lobby, a tenants' club, a gym, a central park between the buildings, an underground car park and an adjacent urban garden.
The average price per apartment is NIS 12,300 per square meter, and the volume of sales is about NIS 350 million. In the last three months, about 40 new apartments were sold, compared with the sale of one apartment in the previous three months.
A project of a lane is currently being built nearby, a complex with 625 units in 6 towers, the highest of which will be 35 floors. The sales volume is NIS 200 million. In the first phase, two towers will be built, which are currently being licensed by the local committee. Krayot and Road 6 North, and around it are the Baha'i Gardens, the Regional Tennis Center, an adventure park, Lily Sharon Park and Tel Napoleon.
In the project carried out on the park more than 60% of the apartments were sold, most of them in recent months.
Occupancy in July 2022. The project includes 4 towers in the Hakerem C neighborhood in northern Acre, inside the park, near the train station and a few minutes drive from the Ahihud junction and the Krayot bypass road.
For sale are 3,4,5-room apartments, garden apartments, luxurious penthouses and spacious balconies with sea views.
There are 318 housing units, 184 of which will be inhabited as part of the price per occupant and 134 in the free market.
A 3-room apartment starts at NIS 990,000, a 4-room apartment at NIS 1,150,000 and a 5-room apartment at NIS 1,320,000.
The cost of a penthouse is NIS 2,400,000, with 140 sq.m. built plus a 150 sq.m. balcony.
The towers are located a short distance from the area's main transportation arteries, and are accessible to educational institutions, green parks and shopping centers.
Shatit, which is building the Shatit TOP project in the Hakerem neighborhood, has sold about 150 apartments in the past two months.
Shalom Sheetrit, one of the company's owners, explains: "We designed the project so that from the fourth place on each balcony you can see the sea. People come, fall in love and buy. What more does a person need than seeing the sea unfold before his eyes every morning when he wakes up?"
The drinking project includes 3 towers of 19, 17 and 9 floors with 216 housing units.
Offered 3-room apartments + balcony, 4 rooms + balcony, 5 rooms + balcony or garden, 5-room penthouses on one level in an area of about 150 square meters + about 117 square meters balcony.
Of the apartments, 126 are intended for those entitled to a price per occupant and 90 for the free market.
The architect Avril and Avril were chosen to lead the project and emphasize the design of spacious apartments with large rooms.
"The good news," Sheetrit explains, "is that young couples can buy an apartment near the beach with a spectacular view, for less than NIS 1 million. There are about 60 apartments left, and now the company offers a contractor loan of NIS 600,000, to allow customers flexibility on their dream ".
Another project in the Hakerem neighborhood, MAX Towers, reported a 20% increase in sales over the past six months compared to the previous six months.
The project is at the end of the construction process of 2 towers, worth NIS 300 million, which are being built on 17 dunams.
The 29-story east tower will include a tenants' club and gymboree.
The west tower will have 23 floors, and will include a gym.
As part of the roof agreement, 60% of the housing units are intended for the price per occupant (133 units), including apartments of 3,4 and 5 rooms, and 40% for the free market (94 units).
Free market price list for Mizrahi building: 4 rooms starting at NIS 1,270,000 and 5 rooms starting at NIS 1,370,000.
The price refers to the first floor.
Western market free price list Western building: 4 rooms starting at NIS 1,360,000 and 5 rooms starting at NIS 1,460,000.
Another residential project in the Hakerem neighborhood, in which more than 60% of the apartments have already been sold, is UNIK & MORE AKKO of America Israel in cooperation with the Almond Tree.
The project includes 255 apartments in 4 buildings of 9 to 18 floors, near the Baha'i and Botanical Gardens, within walking distance of the beach.
4-room apartments are offered for sale starting at NIS 1.185 million.
The Minrav project facing the sea, at the southern entrance to Acre, was a huge success.
Out of 6 buildings, only the last one is left for marketing.
Chen Carmi, owner of Housestory Holdings LTD, which specializes in locating real estate for investors from Israel and abroad, said that in recent months there has been a significant increase in investment demand in Acre among investors and entrepreneurs from Israel and abroad. He expects this trend to continue. Soar in the coming months.
Carmi explains that the increase is probably due to the restoration of the old city, infrastructure and conservation work, the development of the port and the promenade and mainly because the city is located on the beach and has international tourist potential.
Offices and commercial areas
The Azrieli Mall in Acre, which opened to the public in 2011 with an investment of NIS 130 million, is currently at the end of the construction process of 2 new office floors of 10,000 square meters. The cost of the project is estimated at NIS 80 million, and full occupancy is expected by September 2021. .
The developers, a rainfall company for the occupant and a duty-free company, are building the station tower next to the Acre train station, at the corner of Herzl and David Remez - main transportation arteries.
The construction cost is about NIS 130 million.
The innovative office project was designed with advanced architecture, and will change the face of the city.
Construction is expected to be completed within about 3 years.
It is the only building in the area with 17 floors, 17,000 square meters for offices and 956 square meters for a commercial boulevard.
The ambitious project will completely change the face of the area, including the market area.
Each office floor has 1,000 square meters that can be divided from 60 square meters.
The wide office floors allow large companies to enjoy comfortable work complexes that extend over an entire floor.
Another office building, of about 2,000 square meters, was built above the Acre Mall, at the eastern entrance to the city, by the Summit Group. The offices will be built above a parking structure, whose construction will begin soon.
Hotels
In the last two years, there has been a huge development in the field of accommodation in Acre, which has become a major tourist center in the north.
Dozens of unique B & Bs, between the city walls and near the beaches, have opened with huge investments and enjoy significant occupancy.
A luxury hotel in the heart of the Old City is currently being built, next to the port of Acre, by the Nakash brothers, owners of the Orchid hotel chain, with an investment of about NIS 100 million.
The hotel will have at least 50 rooms and will cover about 5,500 square meters.
The Blue Acre project - commerce, housing and hotels by the sea, is about to be built soon.
These are 400 hotel rooms, 180 residential units, 500 square meters of commercial space and 2,000 square meters of conference hall.
The La Riviera project of TG - Real Estate Entrepreneurship, will include commercial areas on the ground floor on an area of 1,300 square meters.
In addition, about 23 hotel suites on the upper floors, about 500 square meters in size, with sea views, a pool and a spa complex. The project is in the final stages and is planned to be completed within two months.
In the south of the city, the Hamoud family is promoting a hotel project for a 40-story hotel on an international scale, with an estimated cost of half a billion shekels.
The core of the Acre-system of art and culture entrepreneurs will open a variety of museums, festivals and events, technology incubators and a variety of initiatives.
Tal Gorli, who leads the leisure and entertainment scene in the north of the country, plans to develop the entertainment culture in the Mandatory district.
Meir Davidson, owner of the Acre-Tika Hotel, has announced that he will double the prestigious apartment hotel.
Shalom Sagiv, CEO of Booster, plans to establish an innovation center that includes acceleration, offices and shared workspaces in the Mandatory district. Hamudi Bergot, a local entrepreneur from Old Acre, opened B & Bs and the first bar in the Old City of Sama, on a roof overlooking the entire Haifa Bay.
Entrepreneurs tour
The Entrepreneurship Tour began with the opening remarks of Mayor Lankri, who reviewed developments in the areas of tourism, entrepreneurship, academia, leisure culture, innovation and the marine economy.
Yotam Ivri, director of economic growth at the Or movement, presented the work plan for the Equal City project, for the development of Mandatory Acre.
Participants marched along the Mandatory Quarter (the city outside the walls) towards Old Acre.
On the way, a number of properties were presented to the officials.
The developers went through the area of the new Heichal Hatarbut that was built and reviewed real estate opportunities, investments and business development. The tour ended at the Acre-Tika Hotel, where other local entrepreneurs joined and told about the plans in the city.
Businessman Hamudi Bergot: "The uniqueness of the business here is the combination with the local community, which brings success. Acre has its own uniqueness and charm. There are great people here. I have 40 employees who are all from the Old City. When you invest in the people who live here you get back."
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Culture and sports
The Hall of Culture in Acre is perfect these days.
Its cost is estimated at tens of millions of shekels, and it was established on the basis of the municipal auditorium, with the aim of creating a new performance hall, which will be an urban attraction.
The new Hall of Culture is covered with glass and classrooms and parking spaces have been added.
The showroom will be of a high standard, with advanced acoustics and lighting systems.
The new hall will include 604 seats with a large stage, a players' wing, a cafe and accessibility for the general public.
According to Mayor Lankri, this is a large and invested project that will provide residents with a wealth of cultural experiences.
Azrieli Acre Mall is renewing and launching the 24th branch of the Icon Fitness chain, from Holmes Place, the first in the city of Acre.
The branch will cover about 1,300 square meters, with an investment of about NIS 5 million. The renovations are in progress, and the opening is expected in about two months.
The branch is located on the new office floors, which will be opened to the public in June, as part of the mall's expansion project.
"The city is in a development boom," said Rafael Bolnik, CEO of the Azrieli Mall in Acre. "The opening of the fitness club is a great news for the residents of the city and the surrounding area and for all apartment buyers.
The fitness club will complete the shopping and entertainment experience. "
Produced by the Department of Special Supplements
