Msheireb Properties Awards Renovation Construction Contract to Qatari Arabian Construction Company

Doha, February 03 (QNA) -Msheireb Properties, Qatar's sustainable real estate developer, has appointed Qatari Arabian Construction Co W.L.L (QACC) as the main building contractor responsible for a key section of the master plan of Msheireb Downtown Doha development. Under the terms of the agreement, valued at QR330 Million, Qatari Arabian Construction Co W.L.L will undertake restoration and construction work in the Heritage Quarter within Phase 1A of the project, a press release issued here Sunday said. The contract involves restoring four historical houses, known as the 'Heritage Houses', renovating the Eid Prayer Ground and building the Juma'a Mosque dating back to the first decade of the last century. The restored Heritage Houses - Jalmood House, Company House, Mohamed Bin Jassim House and Al Radwani House - will be the centerpiece of the quarter, creating an important cultural destination within the Msheireb project. The four courtyard houses, including the family house of Mohammed Bin Jassim, the son of the founder of modern Qatar, will be converted into museums, cultural centres and exhibition buildings. In the process, they will bring back significant aspects of Qatar's history and shared memories. The renovation and construction contract also includes landscaping and paving works throughout the Heritage Quarter, located in the north-east section of Msheireb Downtown Doha. Covering 110,000square metres of gross floor area (GFA), Phase 1A also incorporates the Diwan Amiri Quarter, the Amiri Guard residences and the Qatar National Archive. "This contract is a major component of the regeneration of downtown Doha," said Mohammad Al Marri, the Chief Officer for Design and Delivery at Msheireb Properties. "At the same time, it highlights Msheireb Properties' efforts to conserve buildings of historical value and maintain an emotional connection with the country's past. It will bring to life much of the culture and diversity that define the Msheireb project while emphasizing its sustainability credentials," he said. Elaborating, Mohammad Al Marri said, "We are looking forward to working with Qatari Arabian Construction Co W.L.L. (QACC) in the realisation of the Msheireb project's unique architectural language, which combines advanced technologies with traditional building practices." For his part, Christopher Blair, Executive Manager, Qatari Arabian Construction Company W.L.L. said: "We're delighted to join the team behind this landmark project and committed to realising the highest standards of sustainable urban development. QACC is a local Qatari company and a subsidiary of ACC. We're committed to the highest standards and to delivering a project that matches the expectations of everyone connected with what will be the world's largest sustainable community on completion," Msheireb Downtown Doha is a mixed-use development comprising residential, retail, and commercial buildings, as well as hospitality, cultural and community destinations. Built on a 31-hectare site, Msheireb Downtown Doha will revive the old commercial center of Qatar's capital using advanced technologies and processes in sustainable development and traditional building practices and architectural designs. Described as the world's first sustainable regeneration of a downtown area in a major city, the project will comprise an integrated master plan of residential, commercial, hospitality and leisure attractions aimed at local residents and the growing number of international visitors to Qatar. Launched in March 2009, Msheireb Properties is a real estate subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming Qatar s rich natural resources into lasting human capital. The company was established as a commercial venture to support the Foundation s aims, as well as the realisation of Qatar s 2030 Vision: to become an advanced society providing a high standard of living for the Qatari people. Msheireb Properties aspires to be the most respected real estate company in the world, changing the way people think about urban living and improving their quality of life, through innovations that encourage social interaction, respect for culture and heritage, and greater care for the environment. The company s flagship development, Msheireb, embodies this bold philosophy. It is the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project in a modern metropolis: the QR20 billion (US$5.5 billion) redevelopment of the historical centre of Doha, the Qatari capital. (QNA)