Yehuda Poliker's Tel Aviv Building to be Demolished for Urban Renewal Project

After a six-year legal battle, the Tel Aviv building where singer and songwriter Yehuda Poliker resides is slated for demolition to make way for a Tama 38 urban renewal project. The building, located at 7 Bilu Street near Dizengoff Circle, will be replaced by a new seven-story structure with 27 apartments, replacing the current five-story, 13-unit building constructed in the early 1960s. The project, which will also involve the simultaneous demolition and reconstruction of the adjacent building at number 9, will include a shared underground parking lot and offer various apartment sizes, mini-penthouses, and penthouses.

The renewal project was initiated by the development company Ram-Mugrabi-Arditi after 11 out of 13 apartment owners signed an agreement in August 2020. However, two residents opposed the plan, leading to a protracted legal dispute. The objectors claimed the distribution of benefits was unequal, alleging that Poliker, who owns five apartments, received preferential terms. They argued that his compensation included areas like the basement and rooftop, and that he received additional benefits for the new apartments.

Supporters of the project countered that the benefits were distributed fairly and that Poliker had voluntarily relinquished two of his apartments as part of the agreement. The Senior Registrar of Lands in Tel Aviv ruled in March that Poliker did not receive preferential treatment and that his overall compensation was less than that of other owners. This decision allowed the project to proceed despite the objections.

One of the objectors appealed the registrar's decision to the District Court, seeking to delay the project. In late September, District Court Judge Limor Bibi dismissed the appeal, stating that the chances of success were low, thereby clearing the path for the project's advancement. Eviction notices for the residents are expected to be sent out next week. Assaf Mugarbi, co-CEO of Ram-Mugrabi-Arditi, praised Poliker's cooperative and humane approach throughout the process.