Al-Habtoor Leighton wins Doha shopping mall contract

13 September 2011

The estimated $327m Northgate Mall will take 30 months to complete

The UAE/Australian Al-Habtoor Leighton Group has been awarded an estimated $327m contract to build the Northgate Mall shopping development in Doha.

Al-Habtoor Leighton was competing against at least eight other contractors to win the main construction package on the shopping mall development, which will cover a total area of 417,500 square metres.

The client for the project is the local developer Equinox.

The work will involve the construction of the shopping mall and office buildings. The project is expected to take 30 months to complete.

Qatar construction awards*
(Percentage of $3.8bn)
SectorValue
Retail$0.3bn
Residential$0.2bn
Commercial $0.5bn
Education$0.4bn
Infrastructure$0.5bn
Other$1.9bn
Total$3.8bn
*To date 2011. Source: Meed Projects

The shopping complex was designed by the US-based architecture firm Callison. The consultant for the project is the local office of Lebanon’s Associated Consulting Engineers (Ace). The mall development will contain shopping units, supermarket, cinema, and food and beverage outlets.

There are plans to build several new shopping malls in Doha. The local Bawabat al-Shamal Real Estate Company is planning to build an estimated QR6bn ($1.6bn) Festival City shopping mall and entertainment complex in Doha. Bawabat al-Shamal was formed in September last year to develop the Festival City project, and its shareholders include the UAE’s Al-Futtaim Group and the local Qatar Islamic Bank.

The multi-use development will be located on the northern highway, which will link Doha International airport with the proposed Bahrain causeway. The development will include a retail centre, entertainment park and two hotels. The complex will cover a total area of 433,000 sq m.

The project will be divided into three phases. Construction of the first retail phase is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2012. The remaining two phases are expected to be completed by 2015. Mace International is the project manager for the scheme.

MEED recently reported that banks in Qatar had completed the funding package for the Northgate Mall and that the UAE’s Al-Futtaim Group and the local Qatar Islamic Bank are due to complete the financing for the Doha Festival City project in October (MEED 9:9:11).

 

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