7.11.09

UNITED STATES SELLS ITS LONDON EMBASSY TO QATAR INVESTMENT GROUP


THE US STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT TO SELL THE US CHANCERY IN LONDON, LOCATED IN GROSVENOR SQUARE. THE SALE IS TO QATARI DIAR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT COMPANY WHICH HAS ITS HEADQUARTERS IN DOHA, QATAR. THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED FOR THE UNITED STATES BY THE US AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, LOUIS B SUSMAN. THE WELL KNOWN HISTORIC US HERITAGE BUILDING IN LONDON WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BY THE MODERNIST ARCHITECT EERO SAARINEN. WITH THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT THE UNITED STATES TAKES ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS RELOCATING TO A NEW STATE OF THE ART EMBASSY WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE URBAN FABRIC OF LONDON AND DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW EMBASSY IN THE NINE ELMS AREA OF WANDSWORTH WILL PROVIDE A MODERN, OPEN AND SECURE AMERICAN DIPLOMACY DIPLOMATIC FACILITY IN LONDON. IN EARLY 2010, THE STATE DEPARTMENT WILL ANNOUNCE A WINNER OF THE DESIGN COMPETITION FOR THE NEW US EMBASSY. ACTUAL GROUNDBREAKING WILL DEPEND ON MANY FACTORS, BUT IT IS HOPED THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN IN 2012 OR 2013 WITH THE PROJECT COMPLETED BY 2016 OR 2017. THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUPY THE CHANCERY IN GROSVENOR SQUARE UNTIL THE RELOCATION IS COMPLETE.

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