Jerusalem Bets on a Skyscraper Forest

If a city wants job growth, it also needs job space growth -- office towers and business areas have to be built to accommodate the new jobs a city wants. In Israel, officials are fully embracing the "if you build it they will come" philosophy with recently approved plans that will plop 12 high-rise towers in one concentrated district in Jerusalem, creating space for more than 40,000 workers. According to the Jerusalem Post, the 24- to 33-story buildings will all rise in one compact area, not coincidentally located near the terminus of a new high speed rail line set to open in 5 years.

Officials are hopeful that the new skyscrapers will provide an economic boost to this part of town. Though the projects include a mix of residential and hotel space, they're estimating the office space in the project will help bring about 40,000 new jobs in the area. The plan has been in the works for about three-and-a-half years and includes a variety of plaza spaces and transportation linkages. The project encompasses the existing road network and emphasizes its connection to the high speed rail station that will open nearby. The video below shows how the project could look when completed: