Project Overview: Located on Madina Street, Centro Stores is a high-end hypermarket. AJC was nominated to perform several renovations throughout the 5 floors occupied by Centro. Among the most prominent works that AJC undertook was the complete finishing and MEP works of a 1200m2 food hall, a 400m2 beauty lounge, a 300m2 café, a 300m2 kids playing zone, and a 600m2 employee services area. Additionally, AJC demolished and completely renovated the 400m2 management offices, a 300m2 bakery, a 700m2 section of the supermarket, a 200m2 customers’ Bathrooms, and the 200m2 landscaping and entrance. Lastly, AJC completed several small renovations and repair works in the first and second basements, the hallways, the loading dock, the supermarket, the roof and the warehouses. Basically, AJC covered the entire building over a duration of 2 years
Centro’s vision of becoming a multipurpose complex with a supermarket, a fancy dining hall, a spa, a café, a kids playing area, and a bakery was a phenomenal task for any contractor to handle. The fact that multiple works in various areas were required in record speeds was only half the problem. The other half was that Centro was already up and running. With a fully functional supermarket, an operational bakery, and managerial and employee service areas, AJC had to study, learn, and adapt to the existing systems and conditions. Existing MEP works were done according to old or lost designs, new finishing and MEP designs were incompatible with existing conditions and major systems required heavy repair work. AJC had to process and overcome all these problematic obstacles while still operating at full speed to complete the new works.
The real challenge was to perform all the required works without obstructing the flow in the operational supermarket. Heavy construction works including major and dangerous demolitions, large scale MEP replacement and testing, and complete finishing works had to be accomplished without disturbing the supermarket customers. Many of the works were only possible after midnight. Other works required temporary partitions, safety measures, and extremely meticulous management and scheduling. To add to the complication, AJC had to learn and adapt to fluctuating customer traffic. Weekends for example have much higher flow than weekdays and specifically during the early hours. Weekdays are busiest in the evening. Ramadan and holidays add a unique twist to customer flow as well. Not to mention that at the beginning of each month, customer traffic is higher than at the end of the month. AJC had to observe and study these dynamics, then incorporate them into the ever so complicated scheduling of works.
