Infrastructure

Delivered by Bouygues (France) in 2000, marine works include a two-line defense structure that comprises Beirut Marina, together with its quays and breakwater.

Defense structure

Submerged reef as first defense line extending 100 m seawards along the full extent of the Corniche; 80 reinforced concrete caissons, each 17.5 m wide, 27.75 m long and 10.5 m high, as a second defense line. The superstructure provides two-level promenades over 1.3 km.

Backfilling behind the caissons provides a stabilizing bond and a third promenade, 5.5 m above sea level.

Design features

A seafront construction below 5.5 m that allows sea views from the city center; public access right down to the beach; three-level promenade over the caissons.

Eastern Marina

The development is currently under detailed design by COWI (Denmark).

Around one-third of the new Beirut city center lies on reclaimed land. Commanding fine views of the Mediterranean and Lebanese mountains, it provides an uninterrupted 3.5-km extension of the city shoreline.

Heavy engineering investment in sea defense, marina construction, environmental cleanup and reclamation, infrastructure and landscape design and implementation are preparing for its development.

When completed, it will contain two marinas, a waterside city park, Corniche and quayside promenades, cycle and jogging trails, with 29 ha of new waterside development land. The Waterfront District is a prime, active, multiuse destination with financial, business, residential, tourist and leisure facilities, extensive green areas and bold architecture.

In 1998, Solidere obtained a build-and-operate license for the broadband distribution of a converged IP network, which includes high-speed internet, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), video on demand, video conferencing, data center facilities and virtual private networking (VPN) for corporate clients. Beirut city center was thus transformed into an around-the-clock IT zone capable of attracting multinational companies and other residents.

In 2006, the Company signed an agreement with Orange, part of the France Télécom group, for building and operating an advanced IP network using a fiber-optic backbone with dual connection to each building in the city center. In 2008, in addition to the internet and VPN services, Broadband Network launched an IPTV service for city center residents. This offered greater value to customers by providing seamless delivery of high-quality video. And in 2014, in continuing to move forward with the times, Solidere reduced its internet package prices and introduced new shared internet packages, not available at any other service provider in the country, at competitive prices.

Solidere renders site logistics services, such as cleaning, pest control, safety, security and traffic management, and operates and maintains infrastructure at its own expense until its final handover to concerned public authorities.

A CCTV surveillance system is gradually being installed in all sectors. Solidere manages marinas and car parks, and offers management services for public utilities and landscaped open areas, after their handing over to the public authorities.