Seef Properties to manage new enterprise
A new BD5 million shopping centre, featuring entertainment and dining facilities, will be built in Riffa after a joint-venture agreement was signed by Seef Properties and development company Riffa Views.
Riffa Retail Centre will offer a wide range of products and services including high-end supermarkets, a pharmacy, dry-cleaners and automatic-teller-machine banking. In addition there will be a spacious food court and a Magic Island children's play facility.
In total, the centre will boast 13,000 square metres of retail space with shaded parking for customers. Seef Properties, operators of Bahrain's highly successful Seef Mall, will manage the new enterprise.
Yasser Abdullah, Managing Director of Riffa Views said: "As a leading retail operator in Bahrain, Seef Properties has a wealth of expertise and experience that will enable it to make an invaluable contribution to the Riffa Views project. Our teams will be working closely together with Seef Properties to develop a new and exciting community retail concept that will be the first of its kind in the Kingdom."
"Riffa Village Retail Centre will enhance and reinforce the neighbourhood ambience at Riffa Views by providing a range of up-market amenities and conveniences designed not only to make life easy, but which will also fulfill a social purpose as a meeting place. This will be village shopping at its very best providing a safe environment for family entertainment and featuring indoor/outdoor dining that will make an art of pavement caf society."
Seef chief executive officer Paul de Nicola said a selection of international consultants will soon tender plans for the centre designed to blend in with the overall look of the Riffa Views development, a collection of 900 quality villas in a 200-acre green site. This will be the first step in a construction process planned to start the year with completion in 18 months. He said: "This is an exciting opportunity to work with Riffa Views in developing a new neighbourhood shopping concept adding an enormous appeal to the development for potential residents." Riffa Views managing director Yasser Abdulla said: "This will be village shopping at its very best, providing a safe environment for family entertainment.
Riffa Village Retail Centre will enhance and reinforce the neighbourhood ambience at Riffa Views by providing a range of up-market amenities and conveniences designed not only to make life easy but which will also fulfill a social purpose as a meeting place."
Additional plans for the development include a comprehensive range of facilities including a new 18-hole Professional Golf Association championship course, a country club, an international school and two mosques.
By Mark Summers Business Reporter
© Bahrain Tribune 2006
