How did the end of the Lebanese Civil War change reconstruction plans for central Beirut?

Following the end of the Lebanese Civil War in 1990, reconstruction plans for central Beirut faced significant challenges due to deep divisions between official and popular opinion.1

The downtown area, which had been reduced to a belt of ruins occupied by squatters during the war, became the subject of intense conflict regarding property rights. These rights were primarily held by Sunni Muslim and Christian landowners, while the de facto residents of the area were largely Shiʿi Muslim refugees from rural regions.1

Because of these competing interests, progress on reconstruction was initially slow. Eventually, the government utilized a combination of payoffs and eminent domain to clear the area. In 1994, a joint-stock company called Solidere was established to oversee the development of the Beirut Central District (BCD), transforming the area into a hub for high-end real estate.12