Haïfa (Israel) regains access to the sea

The city of Haifa has lost its access to the sea since the port was built in the 1930s. Its narrow quays are almost obsolete and most of the port activity has been relocated elsewhere. A dynamic new urban space to attract businesses, tourism and investors is planned, with priority on public spaces and a commitment to maintaining the port's identity. A vast open public space will be created along a 2 km promenade. The remaining warehouses, along with new buildings constructed in the same vein, will house cafés, restaurants, small hotels, offices and cultural activities. These structures will retain their original industrial character, in perfect harmony with the nearby cranes and overhead conveyors used for cereals.. Limits on the height of all the structures along the coast will preserve the beauty and extent of the sea views from the city heights (and in particular from the famous Bahai hanging gardens, an UNESCO World Heritage Site). The plan, which was approved by the Government on 2017, includes the depression of the train track that separates the city and the port. However, since that depression may take years an interim solution may be implemented - the two "bridge-buildings" hovering above the tracks, acting as the main gateway to the new promenade. They will remain in service once the railway line has been buried.