Shoring and dewatering work has begun on the estimated $110 million new headquarters of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Arabian Gulf Street in Salmiya. Work on the main construction element is due to start soon (MEED 18:3:05).

Covering a plot area of 18,800 square metres, and a total built-up area of 130,400 square metres, the scheme is being built on the site of the old OCA headquarters. It will feature two high-rise towers, a five-star hotel and residence, a mall, the headquarters itself, and an underground car park.

Site preparation work has been carried out by a Chinese/local team of Metallurgical Construction Company (MCC) 17 and Sitco General Trading & Contracting Company. The same group will soon start work on the main construction package. Completion is set for summer 2007.

The project's preliminary design has been carried out by East China Architecture & Design Institute (ECADI) and the local Nezar al-Anjari Consultants. Detailed design is scheduled to be completed by September. The local Projacs is the project management consultant (PMC).

The developer on the complex is the newly-established local United Resources Real Estate Company (URRC), which is developing and managing the project on behalf of OCA.