Billionaire Matthew Bronfman, the controlling shareholder in IKEA Israel, has rented a new apartment in the 17 Rothschild project in Tel Aviv for an estimated NIS 30,000 a month. The four-room, 180-square meter apartment, owned by advertising tycoon Eyal Chomsky, is located on the 17th floor of the tower. The 17th floor, where Bronfman is likely to live, has four apartments, two of which were purchased by Chomsky and two by his partner, Reuven Adler. They own the Adler Chomsky Warshavsky advertising agency.
Bronfman, who lives in Manhattan, is believed to have rented the Rothschild apartment after last year marrying Israeli Melanie Lavie, who has given birth to a boy. Matthew Bronfman is the son of Canadian Jew Edgar Bronfman, one of the wealthiest Jews in the world. His IKEA Israel company recently opened its fourth branch in Beer Sheva.
Matthew Bronfman acquired part of the controlling interest in Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd. (NYSE: BSI; TASE: BSI) in 2003 and sold it to David Wiessman in 2007 following a dispute between the two men. In 2006, Bronfman held a controlling stake in Israel Discount Bank (TASE: DSCT), which he sold in 2014. He also was the controlling shareholder in Shufersal Ltd. (TASE:SAE) in 2007, which he sold in 2016.
The 17 Rothschild project was constructed by a buyers group organized by Acro Real Estate and Israel Canada ITR) Ltd. (TASE:ISCN), which bought the lot from Alrov (Israel) Ltd. (TASE: ALRO), controlled by Alfred Akirov. The project, designed by architect Avner Yashar, includes a 20-storey residential tower with 62 apartments and a four-storey office building with 1,800 square meters of space.
It was recently reported that international consultation and research company Gartner had rented the office building in its entirety for an estimated NIS 2.5 million a year, and was moving its location there from Lilienblum Street.
Occupancy of the project, construction of which was recently completed, has begun, while a number of apartments in are still for sale, including a 600-square meter penthouse on the 20th floor being offered at a sale price of NIS 100 million.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on February 25, 2018
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