In a historic city, tensions between preserving the past and facing the future often create friction.
Jerusalem is steeped in 3,000 years of history. Sacred to three religions, it is also a city whose very stones are imbued with holiness and whose neighborhoods evoke deep emotional responses.
Yet as Israel’s capital and largest city, Jerusalem is a modern metropolis whose population has grown by 32 percent over the past decade.
Now nearing 600,000, the population is expected to reach 680,000 by the year 2000. The city will need new housing developments, schools, roads and businesses.
Massive development is already under way. The Jerusalem Development Authority, established in 1989 by the Jerusalem municipality and the Israeli government to initiate and promote development, is currently directing more than $1 billion worth of projects in real estate, transportation and industry.
But how can planners preserve Jerusalem’s unique historic nature while outfitting the city with all the hallmarks of a modern capital and a truly international hub?
“The conservation of the many layers of heritage, culture and life which have accumulated in the historical cities of the world is a problem which…affects the daily lives of their populations,” says Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert.
Some historic cities, such as Florence and Venice, have opted for the museum approach, eschewing development. Today the historic hearts of these Italian cities are tourist meccas, not living urban centers.
At the other extreme are cities such as Cairo and Istanbul, which have almost totally lost or destroyed their historic quarters. Meanwhile Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and Barcelona each strive to blend old and new.
Jerusalem has chosen the latter path.
One of its most successful preservation projects is Nahalat Shiva, one of the first neighborhoods built outside the Old City walls. Slated for demolition in the 1970s, the area was instead renovated — its architectural richness preserved — and turned into a charming complex of cafes, restaurants and shops.
“Nahalat Shiva is beautiful, authentic, real and alive,” says David Guggenheim of the Jerusalem-based Guggenheim and Bloch Architects and Urbanists, who also co-chaired the recent Third Jerusalem Conference on Heritage — Making Historic Cities Livable.
“The past,” Guggenheim says, “is the basis of the future.”
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the new City Hall Square. Inaugurated in June 1993, the square successfully integrates two brand-new structures with 11 renovated historical buildings. Similarly, the soon-to-be completed Mamilla project combines a pedestrian mall and new commercial area with several historic buildings. The Russian Compound project, next to City Hall, will follow this trend as well, integrating 19th century treasures with new hotels and office buildings.
The city is also trying to strengthen its visibility as the nation’s capital. To this end a new national precinct, now under construction, will concentrate all government buildings in one area. An upgraded transportation system and a facelift to the city’s main entrance will also bring Jerusalem in line with the 21st century.
The main conflicts over preservation concern the historic downtown area. Built in the late 19th century as Jerusalem expanded outward from the walled Old City, it is now an area of small businesses, restaurants and cafes.
“Today, the emphasis on the downtown area is on upgrading more than preservation, with an eye toward turning it into an important tourism center,” says Nira Sidi, director of the Planning Policy Department of the Jerusalem municipality. “But there are clearly pressures to develop more.”
Traffic presents a thorny problem. Environmentalists have long been pushing for a near-total ban on private vehicles in the narrow downtown streets and intensive upgrading of public transportation, including a light rail system. But despite this, and despite an outcry from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, plans are under way for widening historic Neviim Street (Street of the Prophets), making it a main traffic artery through the town center.
Environmentalists are also enraged at city planners’ new approach to multistory buildings, especially in the downtown area.
For years, a maximum of six to eight stories was the strict rule so as to maintain the old neighborhoods’ composition and keep the Old City’s walls in proper perspective. Today, the municipality is considering 12-to-15-story towers.
“Building multistory towers is very dangerous if you don’t check out the overall expression of these buildings on the skyline, the neighborhoods and the climate,” says Guggenheim. “I believe development can go on without multistory buildings in the downtown area. They should be limited to the periphery where they won’t clash with the city’s historic character.”
Guggenheim believes the answer lies in the creation of an international body that would explore long-term possibilities for the city: The group would counterbalance pressures that developers and entrepreneurs are imposing on local politicians.
In the 1970s, former Mayor Teddy Kollek created the Jerusalem Committee to advise City Hall on building and development. Guggenheim envisions something along similar lines.
“Our aim is to create an international group for an in-depth exploration of the problems of historic cities, not just Jerusalem,” the architect says.
Sidi has similar ideas for dealing with the capital’s green areas, affirming that “a national plan would give the city the backing it needs in preserving these areas.”
Sidi feels Jerusalem may eventually have to limit its growth. “There is definitely enough land for development until 2010. But beyond that…maybe we have to find an optimal size and then leave further development to the towns and cities on Jerusalem’s periphery. You can’t create New York here.”
Despite the problems, Olmert is confident that the city’s essence will endure despite massive development.
“The magic and uniqueness that is Jerusalem will still be with us,” he says. “But we have to adjust to fit 21st-century life.”