Bye, airplanes: That’s what Sde Dov looks like today

Was it or did we have a dream? Ministry of Defense published photos of Sde Dov Sderot after the evacuation was completed. The Defense Ministry’s engineering and construction cameras documented the evacuation and demolition work – miles of asphalt tracks and more than half a million square meters of buildings and infrastructure removed and replaced by a huge sandy strip spanning about 750 Acre in the center of Tel Aviv.

The Defense Ministry, which is leading the Shoham operations for evacuation and marketing of camps, completed the historic evacuation of Dov Hoz Airport (“Sde Dov”) after 81 years of operation. Sde Dov spread over 750 dunams and served as a civilian and military airport, Until it closes in July 2019.

Photo: Department of Public Relations and Public Information Ministry of Defense

According to data provided by the Ministry of Defense, the Engineering and Construction Division, more than half a million square meters of military structures, aircraft sheds, fences, asphalt surfaces, concrete surfaces and of course the 1,741 meters take-off track were also evacuated.
The Control Tower has been declared a preservation building, and will remain as a public area in the future residential neighborhood to be erected on the site.

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The vacant area will be handed over by the Defense Ministry’s trust division to the Israel Lands Authority, as part of the Shoham agreement to evacuate and relocate the IDF camps from the city centers, in preparation for marketing thousands of housing units and commercial areas.

Became a huge sand lot. Sde Dov after the evacuation // Photo: Ministry of Defense spokeswoman and public relations department

Deputy CEO and Head of Trust, Nati Efrati: “Clearing Sde Dov is a key milestone in the realization of the government’s decision and the Shoham plan (marketing and copying of camps) for historic removal of IDF camps from the city centers. We are continuing work to evacuate other major camps, including Zrifin, Tel Hashomer and more. In the coming years, thousands of additional acres will be allocated for the construction of tens of thousands of housing units and millions of square meters of commercial and industrial space.

Photo: Department of Public Relations and Public Information Ministry of Defense

Deputy Chief and Chief of the Engineering and Construction Division of Defense Ministry Erez Cohen: “From the time the Israeli government received the assignment, the department worked around the clock, together with professional evacuation contractors and dozens of engineering tools, to complete the evacuation as required and all while preserving the historic inspection tower. The work was done quickly, sensitively and resolutely, taking into account the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods and all in order to keep up with the schedules. ”