Galei Tchelet Street in Herzliah Pituach is considered Israel’s most expensive block. Situated a short distance from the coast and the town’s marina, it has attracted the country’s billionaires. According to Globes, this “billionaires’ row” is home to the Indian and Chinese ambassadors, as well as Russian developer Boris Kuzinez and gambling app Playtech founder and owner of London’s Camden Market Teddy Sagi. And for close to 60 years (since 1962) 40 Galay Tchelet has been home to the US ambassadors to Israel.
Not any more. The home, with an estimated area of 10,765 sq. ft., on a plot that’s about 1.25 acres, is for sale because the American ambassador has moved to Jerusalem, seeing as the US embassy has moved there, too. The asking price, according to Globes: not a penny less than NIS 300 million ($95 million).
The property is registered in the name of the US Secretary of State, having been gifted to him by the Israeli government in the 1950s. Real estate experts have told Globes that the new owners will probably tear it down rather than get involved in renovating this old house.
Thomas Nides was confirmed as the US Ambassador to Israel on November 3 and has arrived in the country last Monday. According to the NY Times, he is planning to live in Jerusalem, where his embassy is located. However, more than half the embassy staff are still in Tel Aviv, because Jerusalem is very expensive (take that, The Economist, for saying Tel Aviv is the most expensive city on the planet). Senior embassy diplomats also incur higher security costs in Jerusalem which is certainly more dangerous than in Tel Aviv. The Times said Ambassador Nides expects to be a regular on Highway 1 between Israel’s two largest cities, to meet with his diplomats. Luckily, Highway 1 has a toll no-speed limit section from around Ben Gurion Airport to the entrance to Tel Aviv.
The US embassy confirmed earlier this year that the Herzliah residence was up for sale and stated that “following the discussions about moving the embassy to Jerusalem, it was decided to sell the property in Herzliya. Many of the embassy’s activities were transferred to Jerusalem and the ambassador established official residence in the area. We expect the sale of the property to take place in the coming months.”