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Tel Aviv has always been a city defined by change. Its coastline, architecture and neighbourhoods have evolved continuously. Yet few developments are set to reshape the city as significantly as the transformation now taking place along its northern shoreline.

At the heart of this transformation is Sde Dov, the former airport site being redeveloped into a new urban district beside the Mediterranean.

The scale of the change is significant. The masterplan envisages thousands of homes alongside offices, shops, hotels, public buildings, parks and open spaces, creating a fully functioning neighbourhood rather than simply an extension of the city’s existing residential districts.

The ambition is to create a new part of Tel Aviv from the ground up, with streets, public spaces, green areas and community infrastructure planned alongside the buildings. Pedestrian routes and access to the beach are also being incorporated into the wider plans, placing outdoor life at the heart of the neighbourhood.

Its location is one of its defining features. Sde Dov sits directly beside the Mediterranean, creating an unusual relationship between the new district and the waterfront. Tel Aviv has always been shaped by its connection to the sea, but Sde Dov offers the opportunity to develop a substantial new section of the northern coastline around that relationship.

Over time, the area is expected to become an urban hub in its own right.

For future residents, there is another attraction: the opportunity to be there while that transformation is taking place.

FIRST is part of this story.

Developed by Hagag Group, FIRST comprises a 45-storey residential tower and three boutique buildings, with approximately 350 residences. The homes range from two-bedroom apartments to duplexes, mini-penthouses and larger penthouses, with views towards the Mediterranean forming a central part of the design.

The project has been designed by ODA New York, an internationally recognised architecture practice known for its work in residential and mixed-use developments.

For FIRST, the choice of architect is particularly significant. This is not an established neighbourhood in which a building simply has to fit in. It is part of the creation of a new one, giving the architecture a role in shaping how this section of the coastline will look and feel.

The design places an emphasis on light, views and the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. The same thinking extends to the facilities available to residents, including an infinity pool, fitness and wellness facilities, spa areas with ice and salt treatments, a private cinema, residents’ lounges, a dedicated Kids Club and concierge services.

Individually, these are familiar features of high-end residential developments. What gives them added meaning here is the setting around them.

Tel Aviv is a city where life tends to spill outdoors. A morning coffee can become a long lunch; an evening walk can take you along the beach; and the promenade is as much a part of everyday life as any park or high street.

At FIRST, proximity to the sea is intended to be part of everyday life, rather than simply a selling point.

The Experience Behind FIRST

For Hagag Group, FIRST represents an opportunity to bring more than two decades of experience in Tel Aviv to a part of the city that is only now beginning to take shape.

Founded by brothers Tzachi and Eido Hagag, the Group has developed residential, commercial and mixed-use projects across Tel Aviv, including Meier on Rothschild, Port TLV Residence, MOMA Tel Aviv, Masterpiece Bavli and Infinity Tower.

The projects vary in scale and character, but the Group’s approach has remained consistent: creating buildings that respond to their surroundings while offering a considered approach to contemporary city living.

That approach extends beyond the apartment itself. Architecture, location, amenities, services and the wider neighbourhood all contribute to the experience of living in a place.

Hagag has incorporated this broader perspective into its residential developments, bringing together architecture, communal spaces, amenities and services. The influence of hospitality is evident, but the intention is not to make a home feel like a hotel. It is to make everyday life more convenient and to remove some of the practical friction that can come with owning a property, particularly for those who may not be in Israel year-round.

An International Perspective

This perspective can be particularly relevant to international buyers.

For a British buyer, purchasing property in Israel can involve a degree of unfamiliarity. Different legal and administrative procedures, taxation, financing and currency transfers all need to be considered. For those living overseas, there is also the practical challenge of managing a significant purchase from another country.

Hagag’s international-facing operation supports buyers and investors throughout the process, from the initial selection of a property through contracts, financing, payments and delivery. The Group’s experience with international purchasers and overseas real estate markets gives it an understanding of the expectations and practical needs of clients buying from abroad.

The reasons for buying in Israel vary. For some, it may be a permanent move; for others, a second home, a place for family to spend time together or a base from which to enjoy Tel Aviv for part of the year.

For those with family or personal connections to Israel, a property can also represent something more lasting: a physical connection to a country that already holds an important place in their lives.

For an overseas buyer, having an experienced team on the ground can make the process considerably easier to navigate.

Beyond the Property

The definition of luxury residential property has changed. A well-designed apartment remains important, but increasingly, buyers are considering what life around it will look like: the communal spaces, amenities, services and, perhaps most importantly, the neighbourhood beyond the front door.

This is particularly relevant in Tel Aviv, where the beach, cafés, restaurants, parks and promenade are not simply amenities nearby; they are part of the city’s character and way of life.

For overseas owners, these considerations can be even more significant. A home may be occupied year-round or only during holidays and family visits. Either way, the ease of owning and maintaining it matters.

At FIRST, these elements come together: a carefully considered residential environment, a range of resident amenities and services, and immediate access to one of the defining features of Tel Aviv — the Mediterranean.

For British buyers with a connection to Israel, that combination may have a particular appeal. Tel Aviv offers the energy of an international city alongside a distinctly Mediterranean way of life. A home here can be somewhere to return to, spend time with family, or simply maintain a closer connection with Israel.

Why Now?

There is a reason Sde Dov has become one of the most closely watched areas of Tel Aviv.

It is rare for an established city to create an entirely new neighbourhood on such a scale, particularly beside the sea. Here, streets, parks and public spaces are being planned alongside the homes, rather than added afterwards.

For Hagag, FIRST is an opportunity to bring its experience of developing in Tel Aviv into this emerging environment. For buyers, it offers the chance to become part of an area while its character is still taking shape.

A home is ultimately about more than property prices or investment forecasts. It is about where you want to spend your time, the environment you want around you and the life you imagine living there.

For those buying from Britain, it can also be part of how their relationship with Israel evolves over time.

FIRST brings together Hagag’s experience, a changing part of Tel Aviv and one of the city’s defining features: the Mediterranean.

Perhaps the most interesting time to discover a new part of a city is before its story has been fully written.

BE THE FIRST.