Some 200 residents of the Da Vinci towers in Tel Aviv have been notified that they can reoccupy the northern building, which was evacuated after the southern building was hit by an Iranian missile during the 12-day war in June, Hebrew media reported on Tuesday.
The towers are located in central Tel Aviv on Leonardo da Vinci St., near the Israeli Opera and Tel Aviv Museum of Art.
In a letter to residents, city engineer Israel David wrote: “At long last, approval [from the Tel Aviv Municipality] has finally been granted to lift the dangerous-building order for the southern tower. Formally, the residents may return to their apartments; practically, it is in the residents’ hands to address non-safety-related issues—such as repairing systems, finishing materials, and similar matters—each one with the contractors and with the Property Tax Authority,” according to Israel’s Channel 12 News.
The letter goes on to state that there is no “structural impediment” to using the southern building, with the exception of the entrance lobby and damaged balconies.
The underground parking lot and the passageways between the two towers will remain closed for the time being, but the pool located between the buildings has been approved for use.
Restoration work on the northern tower is expected to take at least another two years, according to Channel 12.
A contractor for the renovation has not yet been chosen, and the matter is still being handled by the Property Tax Authority, the report added.
Iranian missiles killed 30 civilians and one off-duty Israel Defense Forces soldier during the June 13–24 war, while wounding more than 3,000 others and displacing 13,000.
According to IDF Brig. Gen. (ret.) Daniel Gold, Israel’s missile defense architecture prevented more than $15 billion in property damage while safeguarding countless lives from ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks.
