Parts of the multibillion-riyal Barwa Commercial Avenue on the Abu Hamour Road will be ready by the end of this year, well before the scheduled completion of the project in 2012, a source said yesterday.
“Work on the mega project is progressing well, with over 65% overall completion as of now,” the source said.
This includes structural buildings, MEP work, facade and finishes.
The mixed-use development will offer about 600 shops and showrooms and 150,000sqm of office space spread along 8km by the main road to the Industrial Area. There will be also around 800 luxury residential units in one- to three-bedroom floor plans.
The “contractual finish” of the project is slated for June 2012 but parts of the 8.6km-long complex will be ready six to seven months before the completion date.
“A commercial avenue of this length cannot be handed over in one day and therefore it will be made ready in stages,” the source said.
Parent company Barwa awarded the main contract to Germany’s largest international construction powerhouse Hochtief in June 2008 when the value of the project
was given by officials as QR6.5bn.
Site preparation (enabling works) began in March 2008 while the contractor started with concrete pours in August of 2008.
Barwa Commercial Avenue begins at the Abu Hamour Roundabout and ends across Street 22 in the Industrial Area.
Put together, the 206 buildings stretch over 7km out of the total length of the 8.6km project.
“There are five types of buildings and they range in height from four to five floors. Each building is different from the other and embodies modernity with a plaza or a central mall,” the source said.
“The project throws up immense challenges as it runs for close to 8km where work is being carried out by 7,000 plus people. Most of the items required for the project including under-ground piping, water chilling and steel are procured in Qatar.”
With the Avenue, Barwa envisages a dedicated street for commerce and enterprise in a booming market.
“It has been a global trend to have streets that are devoted to the industry they serve. London has Fleet Street (dedicated to British press), Harley Street (medicine), Bond Street (shoppers). Barwa harbours the same ambitions for Qatar, and our desire is to develop and dedicate a street forever linked to commerce and enterprise - Barwa Commercial Avenue,” according to Barwa’s website.
“Worldwide it has been proven that urban projects such as the Commercial Avenue add revenue to a country’s economy,” it adds.
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