The U.S. Embassy in Israel could be relocated to Jerusalem by 2019, a far faster move than the State Department previously anticipated.

The New York Times reported Friday that the State Department has decided to transfer the embassy to an existing consular building in the Arnona neighborhood of West Jerusalem, instead of building a new facility.

That plan will make the move significantly less expensive and allow U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and embassy staff to move to Jerusalem as soon as 2019.

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Friedman had reportedly pressed to move the embassy in 2018, according to the Times. But Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE lobbied President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE on Thursday for more time to upgrade the consular building's security.

The Arnona building is relatively new, though it would need to be secured to allow the ambassador conduct classified operations, according to the Times.

After Trump announced in December that the U.S. would recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the State Department estimated that it would take years to complete the move.

That timetable, however, was based on the assumption that a new embassy building would be constructed. Trump said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that his administration was still planning on "doing a beautiful embassy" in Jerusalem, "but not one that costs $1.2 billion."