JEDDAH: The Saudi Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Media and Shamayel United Development Company announced on Thursday the establishment of the Media District as part of Mayasem residential project in Obhur, north of Jeddah.

The project extends over an area of ​​1.6 million square meters, offering around 5,000 residential units, including over 900 residential units dedicated to media professionals.

The site’s infrastructure development had been completed, said Housing Minister Majid Al-Haqeel, during a conference titled “Celebrating a Better Life,” at the Galleria Hotel in Jeddah.

“The project has one goal, which is to provide a higher quality of life for Saudi families of all classes,” he said.

The minister also stressed the importance of the partnership between the public and private sectors to ensure significant achievements on the ground.

Beneficiaries of the Media District project will be workers in the media sector and employees at the Media Ministry.

The district is intended to have a cultural value; streets will be named after prominent Saudi scholars, journalists and writers. Furthermore, it will act as a cultural hub for the city and a gathering place for media and intellectual leaders.

It will also be equipped with suitable facilities to improve the quality of life for benefitting families, including libraries, parks, cinemas, shopping centers, museums, hospitals, schools and mosques.

The media district initiative falls within the framework of a previously signed agreement between the two ministries, which included the establishment of residential neighborhoods for media professionals.

Minister of Media Turki Al-Shabanah, and Housing Minister Majid Al-Haqeel, signed the agreement at Riyadh’s Digital City earlier in February.

The first stage of the project included Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah, and will be completed by 2021.

The next stages will include other cities around the country.

The Mayasem project’s overall cost is SR33 billion ($8,798,524,020), and it will be completed by 2025.