The local Al-Rajhi Bank has invited selected contractors to submit bids for the contract to build its new headquarters building in Riyadh.

Contractors have until 16 July to submit bids for the main construction package. The bank prequalified contractors for the tender in January this year.

The 205-metre tall tower will be built on King Fahd road. The 10,246-square-metre-plot set aside for the tower is next to Ahmed al-Kashef Street on the north and empty plots to the south and east owned by Al-Rajhi Bank.

The top two floors of the 36-storey office tower will be interlinked by an internal courtyard and will be used by the senior management of the bank. The tower will be built on top of a four-level basement car park and a 10-level car parking podium. Three levels of amenity floors above the entrance lobby will cater to the employees with the provision of an auditorium floor with training rooms, a restaurant floor serving fastfood and regional cuisines and a prayer hall floor, which can accommodate up to 600 worshippers.

The total built-up area will be 121,445 sq m, comprising 60,859 sq m for the tower, 40,984 sq m for the basement and 19,602 sq m for the podium.

The concept design was prepared by the New York office of Skidmore Owings & Merrill. Singapore’s RSP Architects is completing the design work. US-based Hill International is the project manager.

Al-Rahji Bank is the latest local bank to build new headquarters. The local bank Samba is currently building a new 39-floor headquarters tower at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) on the outskirts of Riyadh. In June 2010, the local El-Seif Engineering & Contracting was awarded the estimated SR900m ($240m) contract to build the facility.