Those of you who are less familiar will be told that Jerusalem Boulevard in Jaffa is the name of a long boulevard that crosses Jaffa and is a main thoroughfare in it. It starts at Yehezkel Koipman Street on the southern coast of Tel Aviv and ends at ‘Sderot Ha’Atsmaat’ at the beach of Bat Yam, and along it are significant buildings and sites in its urban history.
A light rail station will soon operate near the place, as part of a 24-kilometer transportation line, the line includes 34 stations in the centers of congestion and heavy traffic jams, and the traveling public will be able to bypass them quickly and efficiently compared to private vehicles and the rest of the public transportation.
Thanks to the light rail, the street that used to be noisy, busy and polluted, these days has become an attractive boulevard that is a few steps away from the beaches. The traffic jams that characterized the street will soon be replaced by electric and quiet train cars, some historic buildings (the post office, for example) will be turned into boutique hotels and the upgraded boulevard will be able to provide an authentic answer to the glittering Rothschild boulevard in the city center.
These factors led to an increase in demand and an increase in the prestige of the Sderot Jerusalem Promenade, which today has a real European atmosphere.
The real estate transactions on Sderot Jerusalem reflect not only the increase in real estate prices on Sderot and its surroundings, but also its renewal and current status.
Even today, those who walk along Jerusalem Boulevard can occasionally witness the ‘exciting wonder’ – the test trips of the light rail on the tracks, which symbolizes the end of a long period of disruptions, excavations, and distress experienced by the residents and tourists in the city. The new pedestrian walkway next to the light rail and bike paths remind visitors of Little Amsterdam.
The renewed boulevard connects all the city’s complexes within a short walking distance – the entertainment complexes, the wide beaches of Tel Aviv, Old Jaffa, the port, the flea market and also the picturesque Neve Tzedek for those who will go further on foot, the renewed Florentine neighborhood, the station complex, Rothschild Boulevard, and even the pedestrian street in Nachalat Benjamin is not so far away. A leisurely walk along the quiet Jerusalem Boulevard allows those interested to enter the small streets that lead to Old Jaffa, to the Clock Square, and of course to the flea market.
The evening hours in the Jerusalem Sderot complex compliment the entire city of Jaffa. In perfect weather, the nearby clock square is lit up and looks more beautiful than ever, and the nearby flea market takes on a foreign and special tone. It is not surprising that such a boulevard is full of small businesses that wink at travelers on the street (starting with the homemade soap shop ‘Nuzha Shop’ and ending with boutique shops, spices and crackers), and to the many new businesses that are expected to open on the boulevard.
It’s time to tell the truth – Sderot Jerusalem is going to be one of the most desirable pedestrian areas in Tel Aviv-Yafo. It’s not just the fact of turning the street into a promenade that encourages the movement of pedestrians and cyclists with dedicated paths and new benches, and it’s not just the new businesses that are going to open on the developing boulevard, it’s the very fact that it’s no longer a road but a small Amsterdam in the making, a promenade that will attract buyers and sellers and boost real estate prices on the avenue and its surroundings accordingly.