Two regional enterprises have started the construction of a nine-storey, mixed-use building in Lideta District for an estimated 163 million Br.

The Oromia Forest & Wildlife Enterprise will cover 52pc of the building cost, while the Oromia Seeds Enterprise will contribute the remaining. The building, which will rest on a 1,115Sqm plot of land, is scheduled to be completed within three years.

It will have three basements along with offices, a meeting hall, underground parking, toilets, an elevator, laboratory and a sample room for the Seeds Enterprise, among other features. The building will rest on land owned by the Oromia Forest & Wildlife Enterprise, a governmental organisation tasked with ensuring the efficient use of forest and wildlife resources in the Regional State.

The Oromia Construction Works Enterprise, which has 400 employees and is currently constructing the Oromia Police Commission headquarters, has been hired for the construction of the building. Oromia Water Works Design & Supervision Enterprise, a firm established in 2006, designed the building and will also supervise its construction.

The two enterprises agreed to construct the building in 2017, and seven board members representing both sides were brought together to manage the construction of the building, which is located in front of Ledeta's Court on Rahel St.

The construction of the building was delayed two years due to issues in getting construction and construction commencement permits from the city's construction bureau, according to Gutema Wako, road and building supervision sub-process manager at the Oromia Water Works Design & Supervision Enterprise.

"And the revised city plan that took 15m from the building area for road construction also caused delays for the project," said Gutema.

Due to this, the original design is under revision, according to Lemma Gelan, a construction expert at the Oromia Seeds Enterprise.