Hi here is information about what's goin on in Bahrain's construction sector, am not sure of the costs included as they always change, enjoy:

While the kingdom by no means intends to match the breathtaking pace set by Dubai, it has hit headlines with mega projects such as the $1.5 billion Bahrain Financial Harbour and the $1 billion-plus Durrat Al Bahrain resort and the $1 billion Amwaj Islands. In the industrial sector, the completion of a $1.7 billion expansion currently under way at Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) will make it the largest smelter in the Middle East.
Also in the pipeline is a proposed $1.3 billion groundbreaking petrochemical/energy complex and a $1 billion desert horse-racing resort and further in the future, the $2 billion Bahrain-Qatar causeway.
According to Bahrain’s Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry licences for projects worth $3 billion are in the process of being granted. Among the larger projects on the anvil are the $150 million Pearl Towers, in Manama; $320 million City Centre project at Seef; $200 million Lulu Island along King Faisal Highway in Manama; and the $600 million Al Areen Desert Spa and Resort in the Southern Governorate.
Among the major infrastructure projects to be launched by the public sector is the $332 million expansion of Bahrain International Airport and the new Sitra bridges.
Last year, the kingdom considerably boosted its expenditure on key construction projects – the spending on infrastructure was budgeted at BD260 million in the first half of last year compared with BD136 million in 2003.


Hotels & leisure facilities
Dredging work has restarted on the $1 billion (BD378 million) Durrat Al Bahrain city resort. The 20 sq km project, which has been totally redesigned, now comprises 13 different islands, with about 2,000 villas, 2,000 apartments, luxury hotels, restaurants, marina, and an 18-hole golf course (see page 48).
Work on the Amwaj Islands is gathering momentum with the first hotel on the islands due to break ground within the next six months (see page 62).
Bahrain Wiggins is seeking investors for its estimated $1 billion Bahrain equestrian and horse racing club project which will also include a hotel, mall, villas and apartments (see page 59).
Among other developments with residential components is a golf resort around Riffa Golf Course and a beach resort complex in Budaiya.
The $300 million golf resort is to be developed by a joint venture between the First Islamic Investment Bank (FIIB) and the Bahrain International Golf Course Company. Some 500 villas are expected to be developed within a gated community, offering residents access to wide-ranging leisure facilities and amenities.


A A Janahi Holdings is to build the BD75 million beach resort in Budaiya over an area 800,000 sq m at Al Dafna Al Hamra. It will feature a luxury hotel, a large park, a marina for yachts, restaurants and around 1,000 furnished flats. Work on the project is expected to start this year for completion by 2007.
Plans have also been announced for a string of hotels and resorts facilities. Work on a BD21 million world-class beach hotel is to start in Zallaq shortly. The 160,000 sq m project, financed by a group of leading Gulf businessmen, is expected to be completed in two years. It will include a five-star deluxe hotel managed by an international chain and a world-class marina.
New executive apartment also managed by international chains are set to come up, notably the Marriott Executive Apartments (see page 64), while some existing hotels have already launched expansion plans involving such developments. Construction work is under way on a BD4 million block of serviced apartments within the Gulf Hotel complex. The project calls for the construction of a 15-storey building that will house 101 apartments. The new tower, with an overall area of 15,000 sq m, will be connected directly to the hotel, but it will also have its own outside entrance. Construction is expected to be completed by March 2006.

The Diplomat Radisson SAS has also launched work on a five-star 15-storey extension. Construction of the new 22,000 sq m hotel and serviced apartment extension is expected to be completed by the last quarter of this year. The expansion will double the built-up area of the hotel complex.
Other projects include a plan to turn Adhari Park into a major multi-purpose theme park.
The project, which would be built on a 165,319 sq m area, will have more than 70 per cent reserved as green area and will include a rollercoaster, water park, children’s play areas, a mini-golf course, bowling arena, a game arcade and dining areas.


A public park featuring restaurants, stores, a zoo, an amphitheatre and possibly a hotel could be opened by December 2006. The project being developed by the Municipalities and Agricultural Affairs Ministry cover an area of around 40 hectares in Al Hunayniyah valley between East and West Riffa. Local and regional investors have been invited to bid for the project.



Commercial/residential complexes
Phase I of the Bahrain Financial Harbour is well under way. The first phase includes the Financial Centre comprising the Financial Mall, the Dual Towers and the Harbour House (see page 53).
Work also got under way last August on the spectacular Bahrain World Trade Centre (BWTC) in Manama adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel. The local AA Nass with South Africa’s Murray & Roberts Contractors is building the $150 million twin-tower complex.

Construction work is expected to start shortly on Bahrain City Centre which is being developed by Al Futtaim Investments. The three-storey centre with a six-storey car-park will occupy an area of 450,000 sq m in Seef and is due for completion by the end of next year. The complex will include a 20-screen, 3,600-seat cinema complex – the largest of its kind in the region. The project also includes one five star hotel and a four-star hotel with a total of 600 rooms.


Meanwhile, work is under way on the new BD10 million Sitra Mall near Sitra bridge. The 46,838 sq m project is expected to be completed by April.
Among other developments, the Seef Mall is to be further expanded by one third of its current rental space under a two-year multi-million-dollar scheme. Hisham Abdulrahman Jaffer (HAJ) has the consultancy job.

The high life is coming to Bahrain, judging by the some of the luxurious high-rise residential buildings taking shape on the drawing boards of some of the kingdom’s leading design consulting firms.


http://gulfconstructionworldwide.com/source/xxvi/01/images/b3-beb-butterfly.jpg
A butterfly-shaped residential building in Juffair ... challenging project.


In or close to the tendering stage are two 22-storey residential tower projects – one in Hoora and the other in Manama.

Both of these towers, which promise to offer the heights of luxury, are some of the tallest residential buildings in Bahrain, according to Bahrain Engineering Bureau, the consultant for the projects.

The tower in Hoora faces the King Faisal Corniche opposite the Dolphin Park. Bids for the project are due to be submitted by January 28 with construction set to start on site immediately afterwards. The contract period is 24 months.


The building – for Kuwaiti real estate developer Mubarak Abdul Aziz Al Hassawi – will offer 34 three-bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom penthouse. Each of the rooms includes individual air-conditioning controls and fire sprinklers.

The ground floor is dedicated for car-parking – with one slot allotted for every tenant. Above the car-parking facility is a swimming pool for the residents, a gymnasium, coffee shop, a meeting room and lounge as well as servants’ and drivers’ accommodation facilities. The penthouse has its own maid’s room, a private swimming pool and a terrace garden.
The tower, which is serviced by two passenger elevators and one service elevator, accommodates two apartments per level.
Tenders for the second 22-storey residential tower will be issued this month and a contract will be awarded by the end of February. The luxury building located on King Faisal Highway near the Marina Mall, will also feature three-bedroom apartments per floor.
The facades of the building are inclined at 45 degrees to each other ensuring that all flats are sea-facing.

Among the most architecturally challenging projects within Bahrain Engineering Bureau’s portfolio is a butterfly-shaped residential building in Juffair. Tenders for the 17-storey structure have been floated with a closing date of January 30.
The building – set in a 1,800 sq m garden –boasts a comprehensive range of amenities including a swimming pool as well as separate covered ladies swimming pool, a huge gymnasium and steam room, a squash court, a playground, a terrace garden and a large TV room and will also include what Dr Bruno promises to be “a unique surprise amenity”.
A challenging aspect of the structure is the elliptical facades clad with double-glazed high-performance curved glass panels set in aluminium composite panels. “These glazing panels ensure a smooth elliptical facade,” he says. “The shape of the building gives a different cross-sectional floor plan throughout the building and hence the configuration of apartments.
A focal feature of the interior is a five-level atrium featuring two panoramic lifts and one service elevator.

The building is expected to see completion by early 2007.
Bahrain Engineering Bureau has also designed a 15-storey residential tower on the Amwaj Islands. The project – which is awaiting a building permit – comprises four three-bedroom apartments per floor with eight duplex apartments on the top level.

There is alot of info. You should of cut it short to make it more appealing to read. I think bahrain is growing out of real demand and with all these developements bahrain is sure to benefit. When it comes to tourism, bahrain needs to update its image as a tourist destination and become more family freindly. With the bridge between bahrain and qatar opening and many tourism facilites coming up aimed for families, this will gaurantee Qatari and Saudi riyals pouring into the kingdom in the hundreds of millions.

Its good to see bahrain is finally boosting all its facilities. Great news!

Hey man ya i did notice that, chopped it up a bit but kept the most important info. Dubai-Lover, I'd love if you'd actually do this as a stickie and rename it to Bahrain's Other projects and proposals, cause I see that one thread with all these projects would be interesting plus they'd get more attention this way.

While residential buildings are currently its forte, Bahrain Engineering Bureau is building the first office building on a newly-designated commercial strip from the Seef Mall to the Ritz Carlton, which is expected to be built on the lines of the Beirut Central District (BCD) being developed by Solidere in Lebanon, explains Khaleed Jamshir, proprietor of BEB.
Bahrain Engineering Bureau – which offers architectural, structural and mechanical designing expertise – is specialised in high-quality buildings.

The practice expects to have a total of 10 buildings under construction over the next six months, while nine others and one hotel tower are expected to be ready for tender over the period.

Here are some proposals and one visionary project from 1997 (wish it was built) (courtesy of msceb):

http://www.msceb.com/web/portfolio/cplaza.jpg

This conceptual proposal for an expansion to the existing Holiday Inn at Manama, Bahrain, was prepared in mid 1997.
It comprised a 25 storeyed landmark hotel tower block, providing some 250 additional rooms and related F & B and other outlets, etc. for a prestigious Crown Plaza development for the Holiday Inn, which would be attached, at the main Lobby level, to the existing Holiday Inn.
The Main Lobby to the existing Hotel was, therefore, also to be upgraded, as part of this proposal.
The Client would, thus, be able to provide both levels of service, from a single location.
The development was planned to give stunning views across the bay and across the city, to all the rooms.


Proposals:

Am sure they can sort out the antenna on top.
http://www.msceb.com/web/portfolio/almatrook.jpg

The proposed Al Matrook Tower is conceived and designed
as a modern high-rise building. Soaring 29 storeys high, the
tower will be one of Bahrain’s tallest.
The tower will offer 19 floors of high-class office space,
with state-of-the-art amenities, including 51/2 levels of parking
area.
A major attraction of the Al Matrook Tower will be a one-
of-a-kind rooftop thrill. Glazed curtain walls and stone-clad
exteriors enhance the contemporary design of the tower.


Pension Fund HQ
http://www.msceb.com/web/portfolio/pension.jpg

Located in Diplomatic Area, adjacent to the existing Pension Fund Commission premises, this custom-designed tower will soar 25 storeys above the Manama skyline, on a plot of 1,910 sq.m.
The tower represents the best in modern design and high-tech services.
With a footprint of 1,327 sq.m. at ground level, and 1,000 sq.m. on a typical office floor level, the building will offer 32,700 sq.m. of total built-up area.
The Ground Floor will house the Main Reception, teller counters, security control rooms, etc. The 1st Floor will house a large auditorium for in-house training and seminars.
Floors 2 to 9 are dedicated to parking for customers and staff, with a capacity to accommodate 233 cars.
Floors 10 to 22 will feature offices which will cater to the various requirements of the Pension Fund Commission projected over the next 20 years. The 23rd & 24th floors will be occupied by Top Management.
The spire on the top of the building acts as a visual termination to the building's soaring mass and is intended to be leased out as a communications tower.

Seef Mall Expansion

http://tradearabia.com/source/2005-01/30/seef.jpg

http://www.ameinfo.com/images/news/5/11535-seef-jan-30-2005.jpg

Seef Properties, the leading property development and management company in Bahrain, has unveiled the image of Seef Mall's West Wing Expansion.

The ambitious project is scheduled for completion by the beginning of next year.

Seef Mall's West Expansion commenced last year with the appointment of local consultants Hisham AbdulRahman Jaffer (HAJ) Consultancy responsible for the quantity surveying and project management of the multi-million dollar venture.

The nearly $40 million expansion is set to increase Seef Mall's capacity by over one third of its current size, bringing the total Gross Lettable Area to approximately 75,000 square metres.

"Seef Properties' positive move towards the Seef Mall Expansion came as a result of extensive market research, excellent sales track record witnessed by the mall over the past couple of years and our projected growth in demand," said Seef Properties leasing and merchandising manager Khalid Fadhul.

"Our findings revealed the expansion would inevitably meet the customer demands for additional shopping choice while satisfying the retailers who are eager to setup their operations in the Seef Mall premises."

The additional 22,000 square metres of space will house two floors filled with an extensive retail mix consisting of new fashion brands, Multimedia stores, sports outlets and a variety of new coffee shops and restaurants to complement the expansion.

Seef Properties has also signed up with new tenants some of whom include internationally renowned brand names associated with quality in product standards such as Kenneth Cole Unisex Fashion, Coccinelle ladies bags, Enzo Angilioni Ladies Footwear, Aldo Accessories, Strand Bags, Paul Frank Industries character driven concept.

"Seef Properties has been committed to providing its Seef Mall visitors with the ultimate shopping experience through its extensive choice in fashion, technology, entertainment and dining outlets," said Fadhul.

"We have therefore ensured that the new expansion supports our on-going strategy of spoiling our customers for choice by introducing a variety of new brands into the market to suit everyone's taste," says Fadhul.

Seef Mall, the most visited shopping and leisure destination in Bahrain, covers over 100,000m².

The mall currently offers customers a selection of 220 retail shops of various international brands, a 16 screen multiplex cinema and more than 40 restaurants and coffee shops, which combined, offer seating for approximately over 2,000 people.

For shopper's convenience, the mall provides a 650-vehicle multi storey covered car park with air-conditioned entrances leading to all the mall's main shopping floors, with a further 2,250 car parking spaces surrounding the mall.

Found this, hopefully it's going to happen:

27.1.2005
Bahrain’s Economic Development Board signed a memorandum of understanding with Herman Group of Companies to begin the construction of real estate, tourism and leisure projects in Bahrain based on international standards.

The project, called Desert Bahrain Kingdom, includes building a large leisure city, a films studio, luxurious hotels and resorts, conventions center, sports complex and other service facilities. The project aims to convert the Kingdom of Bahrain into an attractive tourism and leisure center for families from all over the region.

More towers for Bahrain (hopefully it gets goin by the set date):


8.2.2005
Work on a new $250 million (BD94.5m) mega-resort will start in Bahrain by the end of the year.

The 442,000 sq m resort will be built and run by Saudi company Asese Technology Resources, on an artificial island off Busaiteen.


The island will cost BD28m to create, Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry investment and property director Adel Al Shaikh told Muharraq Municipal Council members yesterday.

The site will be leased by the municipality to the investor at BD220,000 a year, for 50 years.


"The resort will include various recreational and sport facilities, including a theme park, a mega mall, a hotel, flats and luxurious chalets and villas," said Mr Al Shaikh.


"The theme park will be built on a 164,199 sq m area and the mega mall on 30,736 sq m."


The resort will include a 50-storey hotel and two 40-storey apartment buildings, each on an area of 36,900 sq m.


It will also have 38 villas and 52 chalets, a 300 sq m maritime club, a 3,604 sq m restaurant complex and 180 sq m car park.


Councillors and the Muharraq Municipality will now finalise details with the investor, ensuring that the resort is family-orientated and meets all other regulations.

Well there's certainly a lot going on. You're doing a good job with the info Bahraini Spirit, as it's often harder to find info about developments here when it's shadowed by Dubai.

^ Thanks. I know what you mean, there are many great projects here and in other countries, it's just that no one knows about them. Totally agree with you on this one, and to be fair, many of them are more innovative and attractive than dubai's ones.