With the increase in income and their aspiration for better living conditions, many people in the old city centre decided to move out of their mud houses on narrow streets and alleges. This outward movement was encouraged by the available planned sub-divisions and easy-term interest-free loans given by the Real Estate Development Fund. Consequently, many houses in the old city centre became vacant, and were later rented to laborers for their lodging, or o business establishments for use as warehouses. It was decided by Riyadh Municipality to revitalize the area by undertaking urban renewal projects shared by Government and private sector. The following measures were adopted:
1 - The private sector groups were encouraged to buy attached old houses in the city centre to be demolished to build on their sites commercial shopping centers and office and apartment buildings. The whole area was re-planned to allow sufficient public space for circulation and booming commercial activities.
2 - The administrative, religious and cultural area, consisting of the Governorate, the Municipality and Police headquarters, as well as the Grand Mosque, in addition to the historical monument, the Masmak Fort, was rebuilt besides the Justice Palace, and its adjacent squares were re-organized. Old structures, shops and houses were expropriated to build new shopping centers for bustling commercial activities. The old city center was enlivened again.
3 - Riyadh Municipality gas acquired through expropriation with full compensation some 50,000 square meters of land on which old mud houses stood. For the re-development of the area a shared company among Riyadh Municipality, the Pension Fund, General organization of Social Insurance (GOSI), and the Real Estate Company, was formed with a capital of SR.600 million. The company has built one of the largest commercial centers in the Middle East, on a 240,000 square meters with 1,150 shops and apartments, a hotel 280 offices, and parking lot for 2,400 cars. The company also re-built Deerah Market consisting of 480 shops.
4 - Riyadh Construction Company has been formed with a capital of SR. One billion. The company will embark on the re-development of some district in the old city. Riyadh Municipality is a share-holder.
5 - Riyadh Municipality expropriated some areas and converted them into children's playgrounds. A farm of 300,000 sq. m. with over 1,000 palm trees was acquired by the Municipality to be converted into a public park.
In the next few years, the city center, which has been neglected and deserted, will become one of the most beautiful landscapes of Riyadh. I deeply believe that the re-development of Riyadh city center is one of the largest schemes undertaken in other worked cities.
شارع عبد المقصود خوجة
00966-12-6982222 - تحويلة 250
