Al Wa'ab City enhances retail experience with exterior facelift to match new buildings

The purpose of the facelift is to upgrade the properties to maintain a consistent external appearance along the entire parade which incorporates five newly constructed showroom and office buildings creating a 2 kilometers stretch of first-class commercial and destination retail accommodation. The face of Al Wa'ab City, these showrooms are poised to set a benchmark for other commercial developments arising on Salwa Road.

The new showroom and office buildings, extending to approximately 16,500 square meters, are currently available for rent. Lining Doha's main commercial artery, Salwa Road, the showrooms and offices will offer tenants the highest quality commercial accommodation as well as amenities catering to the various needs of corporations seeking landmark locations to launch their operations in Doha.

Featuring unique, smart capabilities, Al Wa'ab City's showrooms and offices incorporate a range of distinctive, low-rise buildings designed to international specifications. Internally the accommodation has been designed ergonomically to maximize flexibility, facilitating the provision of a range of office sizes.

These high street style showroom and office buildings represent the 1st phase of Al Wa'ab City in a prime location that provides direct access to one of the major arterial routes into the city with the added benefit of secure and ample parking. The buildings are also located in proximity to the Barahat Al Wa'ab, the main Piazza of Al Wa'ab City, which promises to become the most premium retail, entertainment and lifestyle destination in Qatar. Businesses located here will cater to the 8,000 residents of Al Wa'ab City in addition to the entire population of Doha.

Carla Issa, Vice-President of Marketing & Sales at Al Wa'ab City, said:

"The Qatari Government has announced plans for Salwa Road, a prime highway connecting Doha to Saudi Arabia, to be upgraded to increase traffic flow. This, by itself, boosts the commercial and operational value of the area and its surroundings by providing unique opportunities for companies that aspire to be part of Qatar's growing economy. We have enhanced the exterior look of our existing showrooms in line with this plan. Our showrooms and offices are considered top investment options for local, regional and international businesses and add tremendous value to this new image of Salwa road."

"Our Facilities Managers are aligning all their processes in a similar direction with a 10-year contract that will ensure long-term quality sustainability. These offices and showrooms are the first unfolding phase of our project and are poised to be an all-encompassing destination, until fully integrated with the rest of Al Wa'ab City. We have spaces available for rent in what promises to be a great investment opportunity to be part of a destination in the making on various levels. The facelift of the existing showrooms will be competed by October 2009 whereas the buildings' construction plans are moving ahead on schedule with 80% complete so far. The operations of the existing tenants in the old showrooms have not been interrupted by the works of the facelift, and we are expecting to hand over the commercial space to our new tenants by May 2009," added Issa.

Al Wa'ab City has already announced the presence of its first tenants of the new showrooms and is currently gearing up to welcome businesses that are meant to provide residents and visitors with innovative entertainment and workplace concepts and choices. The established tenants will enjoy the added values brought forth by the project upgrade as well as the congestion-free, easy access to the Industrial area and other commercial districts in Qatar in addition to a strategic location on one of the country's premium highways. Most importantly, these businesses will be part of a new City within the city of Doha.

Nick Witty, DTZ Middle East Operations Deputy Managing Director, said: "DTZ is honoured to be part of the Al Wa'ab City team responsible for leasing this combination of high quality retail and office accommodation. The Doha market is eager to take advantage of low rise, reasonably priced mixed use accommodation in a high profile location providing a high level of accessibility with the additional benefit of the nearby amenities which will be offered by the Al Wa'ab City development."

"The recent refurbishment works undertaken in respect of the existing showroom and office parades has greatly enhanced the appearance of this section of Salwa Road and underlines the developer's clear commitment to maintain high levels of build quality throughout their projects," added Witty.

Jason Morris, Senior Project Manager for Al Wa'ab City project said, "The objective of the Salwa Road facelift was to integrate the existing NBK showrooms with the new ones. The facelift brings the modern architectural arrangement to create maximum street frontage in which retailers can be identified; this along with the generous off-street parking provides the consumer and the visitor with a welcoming shopping experience."

"Continued and enhanced in the new showrooms, the modern architectural minimalist façade has created not only an identity along Salwa road but a future landmark for Doha. The interior design consists of a double height ground and mezzanine floor retail space; combined with 1st and 2nd floor commercial office space, all equipped with the latest building management systems. The commercial office accommodations consist of modern spacious layouts with views of Salwa road, fresh amenities and generous circulation corridors. The Salwa road showrooms are a testament to Al Wa'ab City's commitment towards high quality and a better standard of living and working in Qatar," continued Morris.

Facility Managers SNC Lavalin ProFac has been appointed to manage and operate the entire development, ensuring first-class experience for residents, tenants, and visitors.

Al Wa'ab City is Qatar's first family-planned community and a multi-use development conveniently located along one of Doha's main arterial roads and in close proximity to some of Doha's major academic institutions and sporting facilities.

Al Wa'ab City integrates a wide variety of housing styles and options, small- and large-scale retail, low-rise offices, health facilities, and a world-class 200-room luxury hotel surrounding the 44,000 sqm stunning urban piazza - "Barahat Al Wa'ab".

Al Wa'ab City will be home to more than 8,000 people in approximately 2,000 residential units. The development spreads over an area of approximately 1.25 million square meters with over 10,700 underground parking lots. This gives Al Wa'ab City one of the lowest population density ratios of any new major development in the country.

Al Wa'ab City is expected to be substantially completed in 2010.