Project on a Former Bakery Site
Authorities in Homs laid the cornerstone on 5 June 2026 for the Salam Mall, a mixed-use development in the city's Al-Inshaat district built on the site of a former automated bakery.
The project covers roughly 5,000 square meters and combines a new bakery with an integrated commercial and service complex, repurposing a long-standing public site for a larger commercial role. Keeping a working bakery on the plot signals an intent to expand food production at the location rather than displace it.
Bakery With Double the Output
About 800 square meters are set aside for a modern bakery designed to double the productive capacity of the facility it replaces.
The remaining space will house shops, service outlets and recreation areas, positioning the site as both a food-supply point and a commercial hub for surrounding neighborhoods.
Jobs and Timeline
The development is expected to be completed within 18 months. Its construction phase is projected to create about 2,500 jobs, with more than 500 permanent positions once the complex opens.
For a local labor market strained by years of conflict, several thousand temporary construction roles represent a tangible near-term effect alongside the longer-term retail employment. The mix of short-term building work and durable service jobs gives the project relevance both during and after construction.
Built on a BOT Model
The mall is structured as a public-private partnership under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement, with investors including a private developer named Abdul-Salam Fayad.
Under such a model the private partner finances and runs the project for a set period before transferring it to the public side, limiting upfront public spending.
Bread as the Anchor
The doubled bakery capacity ties the project directly to bread supply, a sensitive consumer staple whose availability shapes daily household budgets.
The cornerstone ceremony was led by the governor of Homs, Murhaf al-Na'san, with the deputy minister of economy and industry, Maher Khalil al-Hassan, also attending.