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Work progresses on the mosque.
Under contracts worth a total of SR100.4 million ($26.77 million), Almabani General Contractors is helping shape a high-profile medical city in Benban, 20 km north of Riyadh.
Known as the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz City for Humanitarian Services, the project aims to be a world-class centre for rehabilitation, recovery and ambulatory care, a patient and family-oriented place of health and healing, with an ambiance of a health resort.
The Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation, a charitable foundation based in Riyadh, is developing the project on a one million sq m site at a cost of around SR795 million ($212 million).
The 400-bed medical city comprises several three-storey buildings around an oasis. The consultant for the development is Zuhair Fayez Partnership.
The entire complex includes centres for medical rehabilitation, child development, convalescence, day surgery centre, cranio-facial surgery and research as well as outpatients speciality clinics and miscellaneous facilities.
The project, which has been under construction since July 1996, is now close to achieving its final form with Almabani being responsible for the site civil hardscape under a SR70.4 million lump sum procure and build (LSPB) contract. The company is also building the Child Development Center (CDC) and mosque under a SR30 million LSPB contract, which is due for completion this month (May).
Almabani started work on the project in March 2000.
The firm is responsible for the construction of the CDC and the procurement of all fittings, excluding the medical equipment.
Work also entails construction of an adjacent guardhouse, including utility connections to the CDC, adjacent LPG storage tank and holding structure and interconnecting pipe to the building, the main incoming power supply cable from a substation to the CDC, external connections of telephone, co-axial, fire alarm, and data links from a building within the complex to CDC.
The firm is building the mosque and also erecting an external fountain including pipe and pumps as well as stone-facing work on an adjacent damaged reinforced concrete wall. It is also constructing the RC retaining walls and all paving and landscaping furniture.
Work on the civil hardscape started in March last year and is due for completion this September. At the peak of construction, Almabani had 400 workers on site.
The scope of work covers the following:
This entails upgrading of surroundings by means of riprap, mixed crushed stones, boulder arrangements - all traversed by walkways built with paving stones and granite; and grading, cutting or building up the existing terrain to finish levels.
The enhancement of the Sha'ib watercourse involves approximately. 4.5 hectares of improved surface (gravel mulch boulders) running south to north along the site as well as installation of stormwater drainage systems.
The project also includes construction of entrances to the VIP areas as well as the ambulatory and service sections, complete with gatehouses, gates, security barriers and the specified security systems.
Asphalt roads and pedestrian bridges and walkways are required to be built along with parking areas and paving including tie-ins, curbs, road-marking, traffic signs and drainage.
Shaded car-parking areas and related pavement works, curbs, road-marking and traffic signs and drainage are also included. Other features involved are site furnishings, site walls, retaining walls and steps, miscellaneous metalwork including car sheds, metal fences and gates, flag poles, tree guards and obstruction posts.
Utility works entail construction of external underground potable water tanks including a pumping system, a sewage treatment plant complete including lift manhole and submersible pumps, a well water treatment plant complete with electrical connection, storage tanks, cooling tower pumps pipework, testing and commissioning, brackish water connections from well, and gray water connection to the STP, supply and installation of pipework from the STP to the city water main at the site boundary as well as the tie-in of this pipe to the city water main.
Also included are the stormwater drainage system, underground sanitary pipework, supply and installation of the underground fuel tank to the stand-by generator including all necessary connection pipes, testing and commissioning.
