Irbid is entering a new phase in the development of its historic city center, with completion of the current stage of the Irbid City Center Project reaching 40%. The project aims to revive the heart of the city and preserve its architectural and historical identity, while also creating new spaces for tourism, culture, and commerce, and turning a number of sites into destinations that draw residents and visitors alike.
اضافة اعلان
The Irbid city center development project is part of a broader vision to reorganize large areas of the city's core, linking historic sites and old landmarks with modern pathways and facilities, restoring the commercial center's role as an economic, tourism, and cultural draw, and giving the city new ground to invest in its architectural and historical heritage.
The value of strategic land acquisitions for the project has reached around 3 million dinars, covering 13 plots of land in the Al-Sagha Market area and 5 plots in the Dhahr Al-Tell area, in addition to the direct purchase of Beit Al-Jouda.
The project also includes developing an area of roughly 24 dunams, expandable in the future, in the Irbid Hill (Tell Irbid) area, with the aim of turning it into a green space and promenade linking several historically significant sites, alongside building parking facilities, tourist pathways, and developing various areas across the city center.
According to official statements, the project's first phase includes building a park on Irbid Hill and rehabilitating the surrounding area, removing buildings no longer needed on the site, restoring the stairways and roads leading to the old municipality building, and upgrading utility lines in the area, in a way that preserves its character and enhances its appeal to residents and visitors.
The work also includes building vehicle parking and a pedestrian bridge on the side adjacent to the governorate building, and creating a tourist trail linking Irbid Hill to a number of sites and landmarks, extending to the Meridien Hotel and Beit Al-Dahdah, in addition to completing acquisition and purchase of a number of plots of land within the project's scope.
Engineer Maged Shweyat believes the project's importance lies in combining modernity with preserving Irbid's identity, affirming that the city has a history and heritage that could be economically and touristically valuable, rather than leaving many historic sites disconnected from tourism activity.
She says preserving old buildings and sites doesn't mean freezing the area or keeping it as is, but rather repurposing it in ways that suit residents' and visitors' needs, turning some sites into cultural, tourism, or commercial spaces, in a way that preserves their historical value while giving them a new role in daily life.
Shweyat notes that linking Irbid Hill with the old markets and heritage buildings through pedestrian pathways could give visitors a chance to experience the city differently, rather than having historic sites remain disconnected from one another, adding that the presence of parks, open spaces, and tourist facilities could encourage families to visit the area and spend more time there.
Presenting the City as a Tourist Destination
Tourism specialist Alaa Ababneh, for her part, believes the Irbid city center development project represents an important opportunity to re-present the city as a tourist destination with historical and cultural assets still in need of greater investment, explaining that the tourism value of a city center isn't tied to a single site or building, but to an integrated urban scene combining old markets, houses, historic buildings, hills, pathways, and public spaces.
Ababneh notes that turning Irbid Hill into a green space and tourist promenade, and linking it to the surrounding historic sites, could form an important element in building a new tourism experience within the city, especially since today's tourist isn't just looking to visit a historic building, but seeking a fuller experience that includes walking, exploring the place, taking photos, resting, eating, buying local products, and interacting with the local community.
She explains that having a clear tourist trail linking the various landmarks could extend visitors' time spent in the city center, which directly benefits restaurants, cafés, shops, craftspeople, and small businesses, arguing that successful tourism in historic cities is built on turning heritage into a living element of the local economy, not isolated sites cut off from daily activity.
Ababneh adds that the project could open the door to developing new tourism products tied specifically to Irbid, such as heritage tours, cultural experiences, specialized markets, seasonal events, and family activities, alongside repurposing rehabilitated historic buildings for new uses that preserve their character while ensuring their continued use.
For his part, Ghaith Al-Tal, media spokesperson for Greater Irbid Municipality, confirmed that the city center development project is part of a broader effort to revive downtown Irbid and make use of the area's historical and cultural value, noting that the project began in 2005 and faced setbacks at various stages, before the conditions needed to resume work under a more comprehensive vision became available.
Al-Tal explained that the project isn't limited to construction or beautification work, but is based on a vision aimed at reshaping the city center and linking historic sites with tourist facilities, pathways, and public spaces, in a way that serves residents and visitors, supports economic activity, and restores the area's role as one of Irbid's main centers of commercial and social life.
He noted that the municipality has carried out the land acquisitions necessary to implement the project, including the purchase of Beit Al-Jouda, as part of steps aimed at securing the space needed to carry out the project's components and enabling more integrated implementation of the plans.
Al-Tal added that the project is also grounded in academic research and plans developed by Yarmouk University, Al al-Bayt University, and the Jordan University of Science and Technology, aiming to reach a comprehensive vision that preserves the city's identity while meeting its future needs, noting that Irbid Hill represents one of the project's most prominent components, with potential for future expansion.
A 24-Dunam Park
He noted that the first phase includes building a park spanning up to 24 dunams, alongside rehabilitating the area surrounding Irbid Hill, removing unnecessary buildings, restoring the stairways and roads leading to the old municipality building, and upgrading utility lines, contributing to improving the overall scene and preserving the site's historical value.
He explained that the work also includes building vehicle parking and a pedestrian bridge on the side adjacent to Irbid Secondary School, and creating a tourist trail linking Irbid Hill to a number of important sites, including the Meridien Hotel and Beit Al-Dahdah, strengthening the connections between landmarks and allowing tourists and visitors to move between them along a clear route.
Al-Tal noted that completion of the current phase of work has reached around 20% for the first phase, while overall project completion across its various stages stands at around 40%, affirming that work began with removing buildings no longer needed on the site, and that the municipality aims to complete the first phase within roughly six months.
He added that subsequent phases will include developing the Al-Sagha Market area, Al-Sagha Square, and the entire market, alongside completing studies and designs for the remaining phases of the city center development project, allowing the project to be carried out in interconnected stages rather than treating each area separately.
Al-Tal noted that the municipality is working to complete the acquisition and purchase of plots of land within the project's scope, affirming that the necessary funding is available, and that the technical aspects and plans are ready to begin the planned phases according to available priorities and resources.
He also pointed out that the project includes work on a number of historic buildings and sites, including the King Ghazi Hotel and Beit Al-Sharayri, alongside establishing a wedding market and developing other areas in the city center, contributing to creating an integrated system combining heritage, tourism, and the economy.
Al-Tal affirmed that the ultimate goal is to revive downtown Irbid in a way that serves the city's residents and preserves its historical identity, while also opening the door to investment and tourism, cultural, and commercial activity, stressing that the project's success depends on the sustainable operation of the sites once completed, not merely finishing the construction work.
