Ministry.David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, believed in the untapped potential of the Negev in agricultural, scientific, and technological research. He saw settlement in the Negev as a tool for balanced population distribution in Israel, viewed it as critical for national security, and considered it an integral part of the historic Jewish homeland and a key component of the Zionist mission.
The agreements signed over the past decade between the Israeli government and the Beersheba municipality have facilitated the accelerated development of the Negev’s capital, heralding the realization of Ben-Gurion’s vision and the transformation of Beersheba into a leading metropolis attracting investments from Israel and around the world.
Addition of Tens of Thousands of Apartments in New and Old Neighborhoods
The agreements between the Beersheba municipality and the Israeli government provided the municipality with the tools and budgetary resources to plan and build tens of thousands of apartments in new neighborhoods and for urban renewal, adding residential, employment, and commercial areas in older neighborhoods. The combination of developing new neighborhoods and renewing and strengthening older ones aligns with the city’s strategic vision, ensuring optimal development and creating a variety of housing solutions for students, new immigrants, young couples, families, and seniors.
Currently, two new neighborhoods are being built in the city: Pisgat Ramot, located in the innovation district near the high-tech park and Ben-Gurion University, will include 3,700 housing units, including assisted living facilities and long-term rental housing. The Rakafot neighborhood, a neighborhood of villas with a rural character in the north of the city, will include 4,000 housing units upon completion, 2,600 of which will be ground-level units, 750 in terraced construction, and 800 units in high-rise buildings along Rager Boulevard, the city’s main thoroughfare.
In addition to the establishment of new neighborhoods, the municipality is promoting dozens of mixed-use intensive urban renewal projects in older neighborhoods in the city center, industrial areas, and the Old City to create a vibrant and active urban center with a quality public space that will attract young populations back to the center.
Israel’s First Innovation District
Israel’s first innovation district was established in Beersheba, an urban model where institutions, tech companies, and startups are in proximity to one another, fostering original and groundbreaking innovation. The district spans 2,700 dunams and includes three significant knowledge, technology, and innovation hubs: Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University, and the Negev High-Tech Park.
The Gav Yam Negev High-Tech Park, which opened a decade ago, houses over 80 high-tech and cybersecurity companies, incubators, and…
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