New contract for troubled tower

A new contract should finally allow the Silhouette tower to rise from the dust.

Global consultancy Hill International has been awarded a contract to provide project and construction services for the Qatar Silhouette Tower – Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Centre in Doha.

A recent statement from Hill said the company’s role is to manage the completion of the 59-storey tower, which has suffered several delays and internal problems since construction began in 2006.

The statement did not reveal the cost of the contract, but said the current construction cost is estimated at $400 million (QR 1.5 billion), with a completion period of 16 months.

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The tower, which includes 365 hotel rooms and 180 serviced apartments, was previously expected to open in March 2009.

Qatar Islamic Bank is financing the project for the owner Mohamed Bin Ajaj Al Kubaisi. Hill was also recently awarded a contract to provide project management services during the construction of the Al Waab Mall project in Doha.

A statement from Hill said the Al Waab Mall will be a 3-storey retail development with parking facilities for 1,300 cars located in the Fereej Al Amir District at the centre of Doha City.

The US $110m project is expected to be completed by January 2012.