By CV Staff www.constructionweekonline.com
Developers of the Bahrain Bay Development in Manama have confirmed that construction is finally underway on the project’s 201m-high Four Seasons hotel.
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill – the company behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa – Bahrain Bay is a US $2.5 billion project is a mixed-use waterfront development that has been in construction since 2006.
The Four Seasons hotel will be a 201-metre waterfront community area off the north shore of Manama, comprising 43-stories, 260 guest rooms and boast a penthouse level “Sky Pod” restaurant which will extensive views of the Arabian Gulf. The hotel will also house a business centre, meeting and events facilities and restaurants.
The construction has now moved in to a new phase with detailed design works now underway and completion scheduled before the end of 2013.
Bahrain Bay’s deputy CEO Abdulla Al Doseri said: “The start of construction of the Four Seasons Hotel further supports the ongoing progress the project is making and the commitment of our third party developers.
“Bahrain Bay has remained resilient during these challenging times and has continued on track to become a leading mixed-use waterfront development, and with the presence of the internationally renowned Four Seasons brand, we are well on our way to making this objective a reality.”
The hotel is set to be a prime feature within the US$2.5 billion mixed-use Bahrain Bay development off the north-eastern shore of the city.
Designed by New York-based architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the master-plan for Bahrain Bay emphasises a fusion of neighbourhoods, open spaces, entertainment, retail and commercial areas.
Other key projects within the development, which has been under construction since 2006, include CapitaLand’s first GCC development, Raffles City Bahrain; and the new headquarters building for investment firm Arcapita Bank – the main investor in the project.
“The progress we are making with the Four Season’s site is one of the clearest demonstrations yet of our commitment at Bahrain Bay to creating a world class, dynamic and sustainable urban environment in which people can live, work and play,” Bob Vincent, CEO of Bahrain Bay, said.
“As one of Bahrain Bay’s anchor developments and arguably the world’s foremost hospitality and lifestyle brand, Four Seasons fully appreciates the demands of today’s business and leisure guests and will bring to Bahrain new standards in service, luxury and style.”
“The start of construction of the Four Seasons Hotel further supports the ongoing progress the project is making and the commitment of our third party developers,” added Abdulla Al Doseri, Deputy CEO, Bahrain Bay.
In February 2008, the company awarded a BD 22 million contract to construct the key elements of Bahrain Bay’s infrastructure, including roads, water networks, sewage, storm drainage and irrigation water networks, as well as its telecommunications installation system and bridge network.
In August 2009 Bahrain Bay started the combined civil and infrastructure works for the Manama High Street, the main street running through the Raffles City Bahrain project, after the trough was handed back to the developer by contractor Mace.
The trough, which supports the Manama High Street, passes above two basement car parking levels and distributes all of the development’s utility services between the north and south islands of the development, including the district cooling, which runs under the roadway.
In April this year, In April, Six Construct – Haji Hassan were awarded the construction contract for the North Manama Causeway (NMC) by the Ministry of Works. The contractor has since commenced mobilisation and work along the full length of the causeway has now begun.
Bahrain Bay’s three bridges – Four Seasons Hotel Bridge, Bahrain Residential Avenue Bridge and the Manama High Street Bridge – are now all structurally complete. Scaffolding has been removed from under both Bahrain Residential Avenue Bridge and the Manama High Street Bridge and a trial section of the parapet railing is now on site and the precasting of sidewalk slabs has started, according to the company.
