Sheraton Park work to start this summer
Originally published in Gulf Times on April 2, 2009
The Sheraton Park project includes a two-level car lot and an underground tunnel providing access to the under-construction Convention Centre across the road.
Work on the Sheraton Park project, an ambitious plan which will change the face of Doha’s Corniche, is scheduled to start this summer, it is learnt.
The project, with focus on developing the Sheraton-end of the over 8km Corniche into a public park, includes a two-level car lot and an underground tunnel providing access to the under-construction Convention Centre across the road.
The proposal also includes the design-build of a maintenance-depot and a control centre for Doha’s future light-rail passenger transit system and two connecting entry-and-exit tunnels.
QDVC, a subsidiary of Vinci Construction Grands Projects (49%), and Qatari Diar (51%) have already completed 50% of the feasibility study for the project.
The contract calls for the design build of a 66kV sub-station for the utility provider, Kahramaa, in addition to two 11kV sub-stations.
According to information posted on Vinci Construction’s website, the project consists of a 73,000m2 public park of “exceptional quality”, including basins, water fountains, children’s playgrounds, cafes and restaurants.
Certain parts of the car-park building are air-conditioned. It will have a dozen lifts as well as a freight lift. An electronic guiding system will direct users to available parking spots.
The agreement with QDVC is an ECI (early contractor involvement) contract, which enables the company to involve in the design and study phase (phase 1) and in which construction costs (phase 2) are then jointly determined by the client and the company.
Phase 1 covers preliminary activities such as repositioning the Sheraton Hotel’s network and re-alignment of the Corniche Road, in addition to developing studies and evaluating project pricing.
“A cost-plus-fee pricing structure is being used for phase 1, with an approved budget of about €10mn (over QR48mn),” the website pointed out.
Phase 2, or the construction phase, is expected to start in the summer of 2009 and is valued at about €200mn (about QR962mn) over a 32-month period.
The engineering details say that the project would require roughly 1mn cubic metres of excavation – approximately half of which must be carried out in limestone below the groundwater table.
The groundwater table will be permanently drawn down until construction of the building’s shell is completed.
The Corniche Road separates the Sheraton Park from the West Bay business district.
As Published
