Jerusalem under Corona Going Up

For months I stayed close to home, so when I ventured out it was a shock.

In Jerusalem, Israel, walking in the park and nature areas had been a daily relief from COVID-19 limitations. But seeing what had been done to the Jerusalem streets in my absence was amazing.

Israel Park with people

Some locations recently renovated have become popular out door spaces.

With the announcement of the renovation, expansion, and renaming of the Jerusalem International Conference Center for Shimon Peres, it was time to go again see what was happening.

It was exciting to see new stairs leading up to where the old parking lot was located. The past years access has been difficult with so many changes in the infrastructure. Every time you came for an event, there was a new traffic pattern and the old stairs were gone.

Jerusalem of old is going and the new is going down and up and up.

The old Kraft Stadium has gone down, just down as seen from the street.

But the housing across the road has gone up and up.

This new Abba Eban Street was one of the first in the neighborhood.

The old Foreign Ministry campus is now a luxury housing project going up.

The bollards are up on the new sidewalk in front the Netanyahu house.

But business in the area is down. This red antique van, parked near Balfour Street for a very long time, was in front of a closed restaurant.

The restaurants and bars are closed, but the bakery is open with patrons waiting outside at a distance, and many food places are selling take out.

Not so easy for a tailor to social distance and survive financially.

But walk up the street and there are new traffic lights and construction.

First time I saw a worker cutting stones on the spot.

The street by the Ohel Nechama Synagogue on the way to the Jerusalem Theater is being redone.

The Jerusalem Theater looks the same, however, it is closed. I just missed a dance class which took place on the plaza outside in front.

This is the new footpath and view from the Jerusalem Theater plaza.

The footpath leads to the new parking lot for the theatre. Seems the builders added a couple of extra floors and now construction has stopped and the action has moved to the court room.

The area around the Jerusalem Theater is very different. Be warned the first time you go to give yourself extra time to figure out which direction is up or down or around.

The Museum of Islamic Art, as are the other museums, is closed and in financial trouble with no visitors. An auction of 200 items from the private museum’s storerooms was halted due to negative publicity.

But there should be more concern for the small business owner who can’t legally open their doors.

Walking around the Jerusalem streets, building after building is going up.

Bus stops have been moved, streets were redone with commercial parking.

The construction fence is gone, and now there’s a new theater in Liberty Bell Park near the rollerblading skating rink and new parking lot.

New seating areas with wooden benches and shade grace more Jerusalem streets since the novel coronavirus crippled the tourism industry.

New paths with fancy wood garbage bins have been installed in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, along with lots of new landscaping.

But walking around Jerusalem, it was good to see some of the familiar sites.

The stairs in Yemin Moshe look the same as before the novel coronavirus.

And the Lion Fountain was back on! No children were splashing and cooling in the water as in past years, but the big lion had the same one drop drip from his chin as before.

So much had changed on the Jerusalem streets over the spring and summer.

The Tower of David is closed to the public for a major renovation. I will share that big project next time. Meanwhile, I will end with a clip from the King David Night and Light Show. Can’t wait to see what they do next!

Hope to be able to share the real Jerusalem streets with you in person soon.

Jerusalem Gateway Project Closes Shazar Street

Jerusalem Gateway Project Closes Shazar Street

Oh, Jerusalem, Israel.

Does anyone remember chugging up the Judean mountains on old winding Route #1,

slowly, painfully riding in an old bus or open lorry to sleepy Jerusalem of old?

Today new buildings are going up, and all with elevators.

Jerusalem Israel Agrippas Street new building

These old shops on Agrippas Street are the site of new renovation in the center of town.

Jerusalem street near Yaffa Road and Machane Yehuda Market

In Jerusalem, street closings for construction occur often and without notice on these small roads.

But for the new Jerusalem Gateway project construction, ads were placed weeks in advance in both the Hebrew and English media for this important street closing on July 14.

Jerusalem Israel route one at night before Shazar closed to private vehicles

The Route #1 entrance to Jerusalem by the bridge on Sderot Shazar will be closed to private vehicles until the year 2022.

So of course, I had to take one last photo at night.

Construction for Jerusalem Gateway near Prime Minister's Office

Building up and up in Jerusalem has become a recurring theme.

Jerusalem Gateway construction

Building up at the Jerusalem Gateway project for the new government offices is seen here.

Building apartments in Kiryat Moshe Jerusalem Gateway project

This Kiryat Moshe building site has been cleared and new housing towers are set to go up.

Jerusalem Israel String Bridge

Down Herzl Boulevard the light rail trains run regularly over the Chord or String Bridge.

I decided to go to the bridge two hours after the road closed on the 14th to see what was happening.

Sderot Shazar closed for Jerusalem Gateway Business Center

This was the view from the pedestrian part of the span walkway.

See the yellow ambulance near the center of the photograph?

It was finally able to maneuver around the traffic, equipment, and workers.

Sderot Shazar Jerusalem Israel closed until 2022 for new road

Private vehicles will not be allowed to drive straight.

They must turn right onto Herzl Boulevard or make a left turn on to Yirmiyahu Street before the bridge.

Jerusalem Gateway traffic changed men painted arrows on road

Workers were busy painting new arrows for the new traffic patterns.

Street change for Jerusalem Gateway Business center

Traffic lights were out and will be changed as well.

There were crews in multiple locations directing confused drivers and pedestrians.

Street first day of closing for Jerusalem Gateway

Sderot Shazar by Binyanei HaUma, the Jerusalem International Conference Center, was indeed cleared of cars. In the past, this was one of the most congested areas near the bus stops.

Construction for Jerusalem Gateway Shazar closed to private cars

Now only buses and a few taxis will be allowed to drive here.

Jerusalem Israel Navon Train station

The new Navon Station for the fast train has access also from Jaffa Street.

But folks with luggage who want to be dropped off by private car?

I did not see a way to do it near the entrance.

Well, the plan was to encourage public transportation.

Navon is across from the main bus station and also a Jerusalem light-rail stop.

Jerusalem Israel construction site for Gateway Business Center

The Jerusalem Gateway project is huge. This bit of construction can be seen through one of the fences.

Construction for Jerusalem Gateway

The Jerusalem Gateway closing of Sderot Shazar is for three years.

The construction of the government and business sectors will continue longer, meanwhile, Jerusalem’s skyline and traffic patterns are changing daily.

Drivers are advised to take Route #443 or the HaArazim Tunnel road of Route #1 in and out of Jerusalem until the year 2022.

Good timing, at least we have Waze, Moovit, and WhatsApp – 054-884323, now to help us get around town.

Who could have imagined any of this not so long ago slowly winding up the old Route #1 to Jerusalem?