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THE signs have been up for several weeks, lighting up the junction as commuters wait at the traffic lights where the Diplomatic Area meets the highway in Manama.
The Avenues-Bahrain has arrived in both English and Arabic. And behind the signs a whole new shopping world and centre of hospitality has been created at the entrance of Bahrain Bay.
Members of the media were invited to have a sneak preview of what is in store for residents and tourists as the two-year project nears completion. The waterfront retail and entertainment centre is shaping up to be the island’s next major shopping haven and leisure destination housing a variety of new brands, restaurants and cafés.
The Avenues-Bahrain, situated adjacent to the King Faisal Road, has a total land area of approximately 272,000sqm with a seafront location extending 1.5km.
Construction began in September 2015 and the BD55.4m Phase I of the project’s plan is scheduled to open in October. The mall is inspired by the success of the acclaimed The Avenues-Kuwait which was created by Mabanee, a Kuwaiti shareholding company that operates under three main business lines, namely real estate, investment and construction.
This company has implemented a number of projects in Kuwait and in the region including neighbouring Saudi Arabia and now Bahrain is under the spotlight.
Steve Bunce, Mabanee’s chief operating officer, said: “Mabanee is a joint venture company and we have some great partners in Bahrain. The actual development company in Bahrain is called King Faisal Corniche Development Company and they are effectively handling the construction while we handle all the marketing, and so on. The retailer M. H. Alshaya Group is also our partner in the venture.”
International architectural practice Gensler has developed the architecture, interiors and landscaping design with MSCEB, the engineering and lead consultant. Nass Contracting has been the main contractor.
Last week, the mall operators, including Steve and Shuaa Al-Qati, the communication director, flew in from Kuwait and staged a press conference at the Four Seasons Bahrain Bay to unveil a plan of action, as well as invite GulfWeekly, other newspaper and magazine journalists alongside social media influencers to witness first-hand the project’s progress, ambience and design.
Steve said: “I believe The Avenues-Bahrain will be fairly unique in the marketplace in terms of what we have to offer including location, a seafront view and our years of experience in the field.
“There are a lot of other good retail and leisure opportunities in Bahrain but we believe this is going to be one of the best on the island. We are estimating that more than 25 per cent of the brands on sale will be new to Bahrain’s market.
“We have learned some really great lessons from The Avenues in Kuwait which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. We came up with the idea of creating a cityscape design. Whatever key elements that were working for us in Kuwait we have brought to Bahrain.
“There are a number of cities around the world offering the great elements of corniche life where you can walk, exercise, or ride a bicycle on the sea front. This is part of what the Avenues project is all about.”
The Avenues Mall alone represents a built-up area of about 72,000sqm and the project’s leasing space is around 40,000sqm. It will include 130 units, with half allocated to restaurants and cafés that will overlook Bahrain Bay and the Manama skyline.
The mall will include a large family entertainment area boasting a 12-screen cinema, as well as an outdoor jogging track, children’s play areas, external gym equipment and parking spaces for around 1,500 vehicles.
The Avenues-Bahrain will also feature the island’s first Hilton Bahrain Bay Hotel & Residences with 210 rooms, as reported in last week’s GulfWeekly. Residences will have direct access to the mall and it should be open for business by early 2020.
After the briefing the media party boarded a bus and made its way to the site. Within moments, amidst the construction work, stood a stunning structure designed using ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene). It’s a clear material that allows sunlight to seep through at the same time as deflecting heat to achieve a miraculous sense of outdoor shopping.
It is considered the ‘material of choice’ for modern skylight applications on long-span structures and building façades.
Although the exterior has been completed, looking classy and cool, the interior remains a work in progress. As the party walked through Entrance 2 of the mall, Steve asked the visitors to stick to a temporary wooden path for safety reasons, as well as to ensure no one interfered with the construction work busily proceeding to deadline.
The Grand Avenue, known as the main spine of the mall where all the shops are located, left the visitors instantly awestruck as a result of the different cityscape designs that Steve has earlier described during his presentation.
The developer explained that the aim was to exude a ‘street shopping’ experience within a temperature-controlled environment and it comes lined with self-preserving palm trees for a natural ambience.
Its light and airy cosmopolitan design reminded this writer of walking around Istanbul’s Taksim Square and along The Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris.
There was plenty to admire. Brand names shaping up for the big opening include H&M, Urban Decay, Riva, Bateel, Sephora and Kiehl’s. The Cheesecake Factory, a dessert destination much to be admired, and Five Guys, of burger, fries and hot dogs fame, will be welcome additions to the culinary scene. Other restaurants include Dip n Dip, The Orangery, Joe’s Café, Melenzane and the traditional Kuwaiti Café Bazza, which make-up artist Amal Al Aradi, who was invited on the tour, was particularly thrilled about.
Amal, who lives in Manama, said: “The food is delicious and I have only ever seen it in Kuwait. I can’t wait for it to open!
“I’m really excited about The Avenues Mall opening. It’s in such a great location in the centre of Bahrain. I have visited The Avenues-Kuwait and it’s that country’s Number One destination.”
The journey through the mall continued and the path took the party to The Forum which houses a beautiful, geometrically-designed, giant, dome-like skylight and it’s a sight-to-be-hold. The much-cherished illusion of outside shopping is once again emphasised.
Next stop was the impressive waterfront boardwalk, which runs along the façade of the building and will house F&B outlets and seating with a panoramic view out onto the bay. It will provide access by water taxis to the Royal Pier.
Steve said: “We have approximately 55 restaurants and cafés. People will be able to walk along the boulevard to enjoy the sights as well as the food and there will be seating for the restaurants and cafés on the sea side.”
Water taxis, as part of the country’s plan to offer additional ways of transportation around the island, may also offer a unique way of reaching this destination. “We are talking to a couple of operators at the moment and are building the jetties to cater for the possibility,” revealed Steve.
The entertainment district with its 12-cinema theatre will be another massive draw for locals and those big-spending weekend visitors from neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
To the west of the development comes a public corniche and landscaped recreational park, which will feature children’s play areas, the jogging track, skating rink and outdoor fitness areas.
Official approval has been obtained for the construction of Phase II of the project which will add another 30,000sqm in leasing space, as well as new shopping districts such as a suq-style area. Further details will be released at a later date.
