SITE CONDITION
Expanded aration of and Uses
FRAGMENTED URBAN FABRIC
DISJOINTED GROWTH
Kiryat Gat is relatively dense, with preserved natural and agricultural surroundings and adjacent technology and industry ripe for applied innovation throughout the city. However, the edges of the city act more as buffers rather than connecting residents to natural assets. While compact, the urban fabric is fragmented by vacant lots that create underutilized voids in nearly every neighborhood. Within Kiryat Gat, there is a distinct separation of land uses. A predominantly residential core to the west composed of a variety of neighborhood enclaves for the city’s diverse communities. The eastern industrial zone is home to several large manufacturers, including the Intel’s microchip processing plant. Despite this juxtaposition, the industrial zone is treated as its own entity rather than an extension of the city. Kiryat Gat’s residents benefit little economically and have a high rate of unemployment. Compounded with the fact that few amenities exist for residents between the ages of 25 to 40, the city struggles to retain young families and the most productive segment of its workforce.
Currently, plans for expansion have been approved that will further polarize land use in Kiryat Gat. The proposed northern neighborhood is characteristically isolated, and will provide luxury mixed-type housing for new residents on what is currently a greenfield site. Expansion eastward will accommodate new large-scale industries, even though the current industrial zone contains opportunity sites for development. While recognizing that these proposals are an approaching reality, there is still the opportunity to strengthen the city’s existing core and define alternative strategies for growth.
ANALYSES
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