Media Centre

King Abdullah Economic City has signed a contract with the alliance between Crete International Contracting and Dar Altasmem for the development of the first and second phase of the Labor Village housing complex which will accommodate 2,500 workers and supervisors employed by companies in the Industrial Valley. The total area of the Labor Village housing complex will be 48,500 sqm. Phase one and two of the Labor Village will occupy approximately 36,000 sqm of built-up area, including infrastructure development and electromechanical works, in addition to roads, sidewalks, landscaping and fences.

When fully completed, the Labor Village housing complex will provide about 5,000 beds that will be divided into various types of residential units to suit all categories of manpower, allowing companies to choose according to their needs in terms of a specific floor or building and the type of rooms required.

Mr. Fahd Al-Rasheed, Group CEO and Managing Director of KAEC, stated that:” the construction work started last January and the completion of the first phase will end by February 2015, while work on the second phase is expected to finish by July 2015. He went on to state that the leasing process began in Q3 of 2014 and about 1,000 workers are scheduled to receive their rooms during Q1 of 2015, while another 1,500 beds will be available by Q3 of 2015”.

Adding his comments, Arch. Waleed Al Bakri, the president of HOD, and spokesperson of the construction joint venture stated: “We are proud of our contribution to supporting KAEC, and will use the long expertise of both companies in the Saudi construction sector to implement this project according to the agreed international specifications and upon delivery schedule.”

Eng. Charles Biele, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Residential Development in KAEC, stated; “Located in the heart of the Industrial Valley, the Village consists of modern purpose-built accommodation that provides comfortable and convenient living accommodation for labor employees and supervisors working in KAEC who can be quickly and easily transported to their place of employment from a central transportation terminal.” He went on to say: “KAEC’s Labor Village is an exemplary model for other housing projects for workers in the kingdom and has been designed to provide all the services and facilities necessary for the occupants’ daily lives.”

The Village housing development is located at the heart of the Industrial Valley and offers a smart and affordable solution for employers in a safe and contemporary environment, the Village offers an enriching quality of life with a wide range of recreational and service facilities that include a mosque, clinic and pharmacy, a minimarket, laundry, barber, post office, money transfer facility, dining hall, and recreation and sports areas. There is also a vocational training center and a dedicated transportation bay giving workers access to their employers’ fleet of buses. To ensure that the accommodation and recreation spaces are well-maintained, KAEC will appoint a specialist operator to run the Village facilities management. The operator will provide high quality services including maintenance, cleaning, security, catering and laundry.