Al Barari also houses 34 public gardens to live up to it’s name which is translated into “Wild life”. The Al Barari-company is spending more than Dhs1.4bn on scenery and landscaping, creating botanical parklands and waterfalls.

Inside, the villas will replicate spa-like environments with free-standing baths, walk-in showers and pearl mosaics. Originally, 330 villas were planned by the developer had to scale back to 287 villas, but in phase two, starting in the middle of 2010, Al Barari will build more villas, a hotel and a 14.6km system of waterways on the area.

With round-the-clock construction work entering a new phase, City of Arabia owners, the Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group, commissioned a new range of artist’s impressions which put the project and each of its four main elements perfectly into perspective.

City of Arabia will have a phased opening starting towards the end of 2010, beginning with Mall of Arabia, one of the world’s largest shopping destinations, which will have a gross leasable area (GLA) of 10 million sq ft over two phases.

With workers onsite casting approximately 60 pile caps per week on the 20 million sq ft site beside the Emirates Road, the mall is rapidly taking shape. Construction work is also moving quickly ahead on Wadi Walk, City of Arabia’s vibrant waterfront community characterised by stylish apartments, outdoor cafes and attractive retail outlets set beside a meandering eight kilometre canal.

And construction work has now commenced on I&M Tower, Metro Tower and Wadi Tower, the first three of the high-rise commercial and residential buildings which will create a dramatic skyline for City of Arabia.

Mall of Arabia will offer more than 1,400 diverse retail outlets, and the first phase is already 89% contracted and reserved. It will also feature a rooftop hotel, waterfront alfresco dining and entertainment for all the family, as well as the remarkable Restless Planet theme park and earth science museum.

Housing the world’s largest and most lifelike collection of animatronic dinosaurs, Restless Planet will make visitors think they’ve wandered onto the set of a Stephen Spielberg Jurassic Park blockbuster. One design team member, Dr. Jack Horner, served as scientific consultant to Spielberg on three “Jurassic Park” movies, and Restless Planet will take visitors 100 million years back in time on a dramatic theme ride into the prehistoric world.

“With each of the four main elements of City of Arabia now reaching important stages, we wanted to give all our stakeholders a detailed picture of what they can expect when the project is completed, and the new images do that perfectly,”

said Ilyas Galadari, Chairman of Ilyas & Mustafa Galadari Group.

Mustafa Galadari, the Group’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director, added: “Construction work is continuing to go full steam ahead, and major visible progress is now particularly evident at Mall of Arabia, which is a very exciting development in its own right.”

The Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group also has interests in real estate, agencies for overseas companies, gems and jewellery, automobiles and transport and food distribution, as well as an expanding luxury yacht division, Sunseeker Middle East, which enjoyed a highly successful appearance at the recent Dubai International Boat Show.

City of Arabia, which will become home for 40,000 people, will be a vibrant, self-contained urban community, with business and administrative offices, schools and clinics, supported by luxury apartments, shops, galleries, restaurants and unique attractions.

Al Bawaba

The Al Barari project is a high-end luxury destination in Dubailand with 290 villas (first phase) and 500 apartments (second phase). The villas start at $2.9 million (Dh10.5m) and 170 are already sold. 95 of these are scheduled for handover in September this year. The second phase will introduce more “affordable” apartments aimed at those who want a cheaper alternative, with prices in the range from $1.3m to $5m.

“The government and the regulators are working to improve the market continually. The changes that do get made have an immediate impact. The market here crashed rapidly and I expect it will probably rise rapidly. The main problems have been market confidence and a lack of liquidity,”

said David Stafford, chief sales and marketing officer at Al Barari.

“However, buyers in Al Barari are perhaps not experiencing the same liquidity problems the rest of us are, with around 90 per cent of them being cash-buyers,” he added.

Greenery

The developers of Al Barari (translated to “the wilderness”) have dedicated Dh1.4bn to plants and greenery, which is a vital part of the project. Chairman of Al Barari, Zaal Mohammad Zaal, explained how the developers have created this oasis:

“When we were planning the landscaping, we looked at the geographical location of Dubai and compared it to other countries which share the same climate zone around the globe and then set about working out how to make the same plants grow here.”

Gulf News

The Al Waha development is a freehold Mediterranean-style residential comprising 260 exclusive villas and townhouses within a luxurious enclave at a total building cost of Dh735m.

At the same time, Dubai Properties said they will also offer for lease units at “The 558 Community Development”, also located in Dubailand, comprising 414 Mediterranean styled exclusive villas and 144 apartments. This development is set on a built-up area of 1.9 million square feet, comprising the following scheme:

• 48 two-bedroom apartments
• 96 three-bedrooms apartments
• 180 two-bedroom villas
• 102 three-bedroom villas
• 132 four-bedroom villas

An official spokesperson from Dubai Properties said:

“We are delighted to announce the timely delivery of residential units from the Al Waha Villas project. We are highly conscious of the buyers’ keenness to move into their new homes that is set to offer a unique experience in community living with its exquisite features and ambience. We are proud to welcome them to our prestigious new developments.”

AME Info/Press release

The project will comprise more than 1500 apartments, 100 residential villas, commercial property and hotels. It will also include a shopping mall, with various entertainment options and retail offerings similar to those found in Dubai.

Despite the global financial crisis and its impact on the real estate market, Solanki has confidence in its time of launch. According to Solanki, business activity has increased in RAK with the RAK Free Trade Zone being one of the fastest growing free trade zones in the UAE. The Ras Al Khaimah government has predicted that its population will go from just under 200,000 to 750,000 by the year 2020.

Following the launch of the Dh9bn project on the Al Marjan island, Solanki plans to extend its portfolio offering real estate projects in the other emirates, starting with Dubai. These offerings will include projects in the International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubailand and Jumeirah Village.

On completion in late 2011, the 47 -storey tower will encompass studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments with luxury Penthouses occupying the top 3 floors; and boasts a top-end home automation system, as well as several swimming pools, a gymnasium, a badminton court, and concierge services alongside the coffee shop and retail units on the ground floor

“The location of the Suhail Tower is a key selling point,” explained Keith Pepperdine, Director of Sales and Marketing, Al Madar Investments, during the launch of the project. “With priceless views over the Arabian Gulf from all levels and with the open parkland and canal running along the back of the project, it has a very tranquil ambience combined with close proximity to key destinations in Dubai.”

“Of course, the huge value of the tower – at AED 1.4 billion – also gives some indication of the superior quality of the design, interiors, finishing and facilities that investors and residents can expect,” he added.

Madinat Al Arab is one of the ten areas of the Dubai Waterfront, and is being developed by an international consortium of architects, planners and urban developers. The area, expected to become Dubai’s new downtown and central business district, will feature resorts, as well as residential, retail and commercial spaces linked by an integrated transport system.

Suhail Tower is the latest addition to Al Madar’s extensive Dubai property portfolio, which also includes Coopet, a mixed-use building located at a prime location in Arjan, Dubailand; Siraj Tower, also located in Arjan, Dubailand; Bellagio Tower, an office building in Liwan, Dubailand; and Scala Tower a residential tower in the heart of Business Bay which is already well advanced with construction.

Al Madar Property Investments is a division of Al Madar Group, a Qatari company founded in 1992 and specialised in the design and construction of civil and industrial projects as well as infrastructure and marine development works.

Zawya

Though the analysis covers all industries, civil construction developments continue to dominate projects under way topped by Jumeirah Gardens, Dubailand, Palm Deira, Yas Island, and White Bay Umm Al Quwain.

Proleads is currently tracking in excess of 5,200 individual projects worth in excess of $4trn across the Middle East. Its database lists more than 980 projects under some level of construction across all industries in the UAE.

“It is important to say that the $800bn of projects in this survey are all under construction,”

said Bernard Walsh, Managing Director of The Big 5 organisers dmg world media Dubai.

“Despite caution over future projects, it emphasises yet again that the huge projects under way in the UAE are increasingly at levels unmatched in other parts of the world as the economic slowdown affects markets worldwide.”

Emirates Business

The groundbreaking for the AED1.5 billion project was conducted by Mohammed Al Habbai, Senior Vice President of Dubailand, and Gaurav Goel, CEO of Palmarosa, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.

Palmarosa, the first spa lifestyle community in the Middle East, will consist of 217 villas and town houses, serviced apartments, club houses, offices and a five-star hotel along with a spa mall that will be dedicated to selling spa products at Dubailand®.

To be developed by Gulf Developers, Palmarosa will be ideally located off Emirates Road behind the Arabian Ranches, offering residents a unique lifestyle and ultimate relaxation through various forms of holistic healing and well-being. Designed as Dubai’s primary botanical wonder, it will feature majestic palms, bubbling fountains and unique variety of plants and flowers meticulously selected to instill peace to the body, mind and soul.

Mohammed Al Habbai, Senior Vice President of Dubailand® said:

“We are very proud to announce the groundbreaking for the Palmarosa project, reiterating Dubailand’s commitment to delivering the project as scheduled. It also strongly affirms our keenness to provide integrated and complementary services catering to the entire family.

“Our aim at DUBAILAND® is to offer a spectrum of diverse offerings, ranging from leisure and entertainment to sports, art and culture, that is complemented by a luxurious lifestyle. We are confident Palmarosa will significantly contribute to the well-being of residents seeking a holistic retreat even while remaining in close contact with the vibrancy of city life.”

The prestigious development will boast one of the largest spa treatment facilities in the region along with a unique blend of traditional and advanced therapies that will ensure visitors are relaxed, refreshed and invigorated.

Gaurav Goel, the CEO of Palmarosa, said: “Palmarosa will contribute to the multi-dimensional offering of Dubailand, providing high end services based on global standards. We are delighted to be developing such an innovative project that will represent a unique gateway from the pressure of city life, and a distinctive platform that will extend residents and visitors unparalleled experiences in luxury and wellness all within their own locale.”

Palmarosa residents will experience legendary hospitality at one of the world’s most idealistic 5-star retreats, the Palmarosa Luxury Hotel. The beautifully styled villas and town houses at Palmarosa will be specifically designed to inspire a feeling of security, tranquility and contentment.

The announcement came one day after Dubai developers Nakheel said it planned to build a tower which will stand more than one kilometre tall (3,280ft), beating the city’s own world record.
The mixed-use Jumeirah Gardens development will be “an integrated city within a city”, to be built over 12 years, Meraas Development said at the opening of Cityscape Dubai 2008, a four-day international real estate fair.

Dubai already boasts the world’s tallest building, the yet to be completed Burj Dubai tower, which reached a height of 688m (2,257ft) at the start of September and is still growing, according to developers Emaar.
It now boasts 160 storeys, the highest skyscraper in the world, Emaar said.

Jumeirah Gardens will stretch north of Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s main thoroughfare linking it to the emirate and UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, 150km to the south. Meraas Development said the project would comprise business, residential and leisure facilities linked by a transportation network and including some of the city’s biggest towers, and with a large canal running through the development. Construction of the first phase of the project has already begun, and the first buildings are due for handover in the fourth quarter of 2011, the company said.

The announcement came at the opening of the Cityscape exhibition, an annual feature on the property calendar of Dubai, which is in the midst of a construction frenzy. Some 1,500 firms from 150 countries are taking part in the event.

Nakheel CEO Chris O’Donnell told reporters on the sidelines of Cityscape that the skyscraper project announced on Sunday “will be over one kilometre and take 10 years to build”.
The tower, part of the Nakheel Harbour and Tower project, is expected to cost Dh140bn ($38bn), O’Donnell said. But Dubai has not been spared the turmoil on world markets. Dubai Financial Market dropped 7.6% yesterday to its lowest level in more than 18 months. The market has lost around 14% in the past two days, pulled down by the real estate sector. O’Donnell said Nakheel’s new project was likely to have a psychological effect on the real estate market but denied this was the reason behind the public launch.
“We’ve been working on the project for six years,” he said, adding that work on the foundations was already under way.

“The project is going to go through two or three economic cycles… when you’re running a business you can’t just stop at the middle of the downturn,” O’Donnell said.

“We believe in what we’re doing, (even though) it is an unfortunate time.”

Nakheel is behind some of Dubai’s most grandiose projects. It is building three palm tree-shaped artificial islands, as well as ‘The World’ — a cluster of some 300 islands looking like a blurred vision of the planet’s nations—off Dubai’s coast.

Scores of other ambitious ventures are under way or in the pipeline, including Dubailand, a series of billion-dollars entertainment and leisure projects touted as the Middle East’s very own Orlando. –AFP

Gulf Times

Located in DUBAILAND, in close proximity to elite neighbourhoods such as Tiger Woods Dubai and Bawadi Boulevard, the Ghaya community will feature spacious villas designed with a minimalist, modern style, positioned on ample sized plots, conferring luxury and privacy.

“Mizin’s growth trajectory is based on the creation of a distinct real estate portfolio comprising high quality projects, derived from a genuine understanding of the needs of different customers. Our developments MAJAN, ARJAN, LIWAN and REMRAAM currently cover 73 million sq ft within DUBAILAND. With the addition of Ghaya, Mizin’s footprint of unique developments will exceed 82 million sq ft,”

said Ahmad Sharaf, CEO Tatweer Investments.

‘While the property sector is receptive to the general shortage of luxury villas in the UAE, Mizin is extending its customer-centric approach by proactively responding to specific lifestyle needs within the luxury market,’ continued Sharaf.

Designed by a team of internationally renowned architects, Ghaya villas have a heightened feeling of space, allowing for maximum admission of light and greater privacy, both of which are areas of differentiation for luxury buyers. Displaying subtle Arabic undertones, the architecture at Ghaya will be distinctly different from existing developments in the market.

The Ghaya villas will offer residents recreational facilities and amenities, including exclusive community centers, club houses, mosques, nurseries, schools, community pools and health care centres. The development will also feature lush landscaped parks, boardwalks and tree-lined walkways.

This new development follows the successful launch of Mizin’s REMRAAM community, which addressed the market need for affordable, yet up-scale housing. The REMRAAM community remains one of the best selling developments in the UAE to date with over 8,000 units sold in just seven months.

AME Info/Press release