Construction of the fourth phase of Msheireb Downtown Doha, which is also the final development phase for the ‘world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project’, is expected to be completed by year-end, a top official has said.
Spread across a total of 31-hectare land area, the QR20bn real estate development project has been constructed in various phases since initial construction began in 2010.
“All the phases have already been completed except for Phase 4 which will be finished towards the end of the year. Phase 4 only got delayed because we did the redesign of the whole phase to accommodate the rail station. Once fully completed, we expect to have around 2,000-2,500 residents, about 12,000 workers in the commercial buildings, and around 50,000 visitors per day.” Mohammed Essa Al Boainain, Acting Chief Officer for Design and Delivery at Msheireb Properties said while talking to media persons on the sidelines of an agreement signing ceremony in Doha recently.
Al Boainain added that the ‘smart city’ has around 100 buildings, including 17 commercial towers which can accommodate the corporate employees, while the basement car parking can accommodate around 10,000 cars. Around 10,000 CCTVs have also been installed to cover the entire city.
To date, over 80 families are already living across various residential properties in Msheireb, while more retail establishments are planned to be opened soon. He added that smart technology infrastructures such as the ‘smart home’ systems have already been activated across the city, while other ‘smart’ systems are underway.
Msheireb Downtown Doha has one of the highest concentrations of LEED-certified sustainable buildings, making it the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project. With a 32 percent energy reduction goal, almost all the project buildings have LEED Gold certification, with some buildings exceeding expectations to achieve LEED Platinum status. The city’s Tram Depot also obtained a Platinum LEED accreditation recently.
“We have between 10 and 20 buildings which have LEED Platinum certification, and all the remaining buildings are LEED Gold certified. The overall development of the project will be completed next year, where we’ll have all the residential, commercial offices, retails, hotels, service apartments, and the galleria which is a small mall, fully completed,” Al Boainain said.
Speaking about the other phases, he added that Phase1A was already completed since 2014. This phase incorporates the Diwan Amiri Quarter and Hertitage Quarter. It also includes the Diwan Annexe, residences to the Amiri Guard, the Qatar National Archive, and the museums which have been created within the four heritage houses. Phase 1B and Phase1C which have been recently completed showcases a mixed-use neighborhood including residential units, commercial offices, hotels, and retail establishments.
The second phase of Msheireb features retail oriented mixed-use activities including the retail galleria, residences, offices, and the Al Wadi Hotel. The third phase is a cosmopolitan, mid-rise, mostly residential community, which also includes a retail court, mosque, restaurants, and the Park Hyatt Doha. The fourth phase represents the main transportation hub, as well as an array of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Several government and corporate entities, including the Qatar Financial Centre, are expected to set up offices in the new smart city.
The Peninsula
23/02/2020
