The $250 million City Centre in Doha, Qatar, which opens in September, has earmarked a $150 million second phase expansion programme that includes a 240-bed five-star hotel and a 30-storey skyscraper, which is expected to be the country's tallest building. The concept design for the second phase by local firm Diwan Architects and Canadian consultant Norr is awaiting the final approval from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture (MMAA) before tenders are issued.

The second phase of the private development in the West Bay, which will have a total built-up area of 108,300 sq m, will include four towers, a podium and a six-storey car-park. The first tower, to be built over an area of 34,300 sq m, consists of the 30-storey building, the first 12 floors of which will be for offices and the remaining furnished apartments, said Kamel Mohamed El-Agla, manager of the City Centre project. The second tower is a 17-storey furnished apartments block. The third is designed to house a 240-room five-star hotel on an area of 22,900 sq m and will include conference rooms, and other facilities.

Work on the second phase is scheduled to start in two months for completion by 2002.

The City Centre is also planning a third phase on an area of 10,922 sq m which is expected to take off by 2003, said Shaikh Faisal bin Qassem Al Thani, the promoter of Shaikh Faisal bin Qassem Al Thani Group of Companies. This QR1.2 billion planned project is among the largest private sector projects in the Gulf real estate market.