Ofer Hasharon Mall

Ofer Hasharon Mall (Hebrew: קניון עופר השרון), originally known as Hasharon Mall (קניון השרון), is a shopping centre in Netanya, Israel. Its commercial area covers approximately 17,000 square metres and it provides 675 parking spaces. The mall was designed by the architect Avraham Yaski. It opened on 23 February 1989 in a ceremony attended by then Minister of Trade and Industry Ariel Sharon, following a development process in which the land was acquired by Alfred Akirov and David Azrieli; a dispute between the two delayed the project until an arbitrator ruled in late 1985 that Akirov had first right to buy Azrieli's share. Around US$40 million was invested in its construction. Its first manager was Shmuel Ben Moshe, and its anchor tenants at opening were the Co-op chain and the Hamashbir LeZarchan department store. From its opening the mall housed "Rav Chen" cinema halls that also operated on Shabbat. After the enactment of the "Shabbat permit" law (חוק ההסמכה), the Netanya municipality sought to close the cinema on Shabbat, and Haredi demonstrators protested outside the mall demanding its closure. The cinema's owner, Theatres of Israel Ltd., petitioned the High Court of Justice, which ruled that because Netanya's by-law permitted "cultural and educational activity" on Shabbat, the cinema could not be ordered closed since it engaged in cultural activity. In 1995 a small southern wing and a covered bridge over HaPoretzim Street were added, built as part of a multi-storey building housing the "Nofei HaSharon" assisted-living residence; over the years the wing became detached from the mall, though the bridge remains part of it. During the Second Intifada the mall was the target of three Palestinian suicide attacks: the first by Hamas on 18 May 2001, in which five people were killed, and two more by Islamic Jihad in July and December 2005, each killing five people. In 2004 a new 33-store section was added and the fast-food area known as "HaPardes" was renovated. In April 2004 the Hamashbir LeZarchan branch closed, but it reopened in 2009 in the space of the cinema that had closed. In 2007 the El-Rov (Israel) group sold the mall to the "Kanyonim Israel" group of British Israel, owned by Leo Noé, for NIS 344 million. In 2009 an expansion project began and was completed two years later. In 2011 Melisron completed its acquisition of the Kanyonim Israel group. In 2014 the mall was renamed "Ofer Hasharon Mall" with branding identical to the company's other malls. The food-store area that operated until 2012 was closed to make way for a Zara fashion branch. In 2012 the Netanya municipality announced it would build a 27-storey tower near the mall to serve as the city hall.

The land on which the mall stands was acquired by Alfred Akirov and David Azrieli, who planned to build a shopping centre. A dispute between the two delayed the project; at the end of 1985 an arbitrator ruled that Akirov had first right to purchase Azrieli's share in the project. The mall opened on 23 February 1989 in a ceremony attended by Minister of Trade and Industry Ariel Sharon. Its anchor tenants at opening were the Co-op chain and the Hamashbir LeZarchan department store, and its first manager was Shmuel Ben Moshe. About US$40 million was invested in its construction. The mall was designed by the architect Avraham Yaski, has a commercial area of 17,000 square metres, and includes 675 parking spaces. From its opening in 1989, 'Rav Chen' cinema halls operated in the mall, including on Shabbat. After the enactment of the 'Shabbat permit' law (חוק ההסמכה), the Netanya municipality sought to close the cinema on Shabbat, and Haredi demonstrators protested outside the mall demanding its closure on Shabbat. The cinema's owner, Theatres of Israel Ltd., petitioned the High Court of Justice, which ruled that because the Netanya by-law permitted 'cultural and educational activity' on Shabbat, the cinema could not be ordered closed since it engaged in cultural activity. In 1995 a small southern wing and a covered bridge leading to it over HaPoretzim Street were added. The wing was built as part of a multi-storey building housing the 'Nofei HaSharon' assisted-living residence. Over the years the wing became 'detached' from the mall, but the bridge remains part of it. During the Second Intifada the mall was the target of three Palestinian suicide attacks. The first was carried out by Hamas on 18 May 2001 and killed five people. The second and third were carried out by Islamic Jihad in July and December 2005, each killing five people. In 2004 a new section containing 33 stores was added, and the fast-food area known as 'HaPardes' was renovated. In April 2004 the Hamashbir LeZarchan branch closed, but it reopened in 2009 in the space of the cinema that had closed. In 2007 the El-Rov (Israel) group sold the mall to the 'Kanyonim Israel' group of 'British Israel', owned by Leo Noé, for NIS 344 million. In 2009 an expansion project began and was completed two years later. In 2011 Melisron completed its acquisition of the Kanyonim Israel group. In 2014 the mall was renamed 'Ofer Hasharon Mall' with branding identical to the company's other malls. The food-store area that operated until 2012 was closed to make way for a Zara fashion branch. In 2012 the Netanya municipality announced it would build a 27-storey tower near the mall to serve as the city hall.

• Land acquired by Alfred Akirov and David Azrieli for a shopping centre project

• Arbitrator rules Akirov has first right to buy Azrieli's share

• Mall opens on 23 February in a ceremony attended by Minister Ariel Sharon

• Southern wing and covered bridge over HaPoretzim Street added

• Hamas suicide attack at the mall kills five

• New 33-store section added and 'HaPardes' fast-food area renovated

• Hamashbir LeZarchan branch closes

• Islamic Jihad suicide attack at the mall kills five

• El-Rov (Israel) sells mall to Kanyonim Israel (British Israel, Leo Noé) for NIS 344 million

• Hamashbir LeZarchan branch reopens in former cinema space

• Expansion project begins

• Expansion project completed

• Melisron completes acquisition of Kanyonim Israel group

• Food-store area closed to make way for Zara branch

• Netanya municipality announces 27-storey city hall tower near mall

• Mall renamed 'Ofer Hasharon Mall' under Melisron branding

A regional community shopping mall in Netanya, part of Melisron's national Ofer Malls chain, offering fashion, food, entertainment and daily retail services.

• Shopping centre retail space

  Approximately 17,000 sq m of commercial area with 675 parking spaces.

• Rav Chen cinema

  Cinema halls that operated in the mall from opening, including on Shabbat.

• Hamashbir LeZarchan department store

  Anchor tenant at opening; closed in 2004 and reopened in 2009.

• Co-op chain

  Anchor tenant at opening.

• Zara store

  Opened in the space of the food-store area closed in 2012.

1. 1Hasharon shopping mall - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2קניון עופר השרון - Hebrew Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org