The Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), a master developer of major tourism, cultural and residential destinations in Abu Dhabi, has recently launched works on two major residential communities on Saadiyat island.  These include the Saadiyat Lagoons District, the largest district on the island, and Mamsha Al Saadiyat, the first residential development within the Saadiyat Cultural District.

Enabling work is well under way for Phase One of the Saadiyat Lagoons District, following the award of the contract to Western Bainoona Group for General Contracting. The contract covers ground improvements, in addition to site clearance. Work is progressing per schedule to be delivered by the end of this year, according to the TDIC. 

Sufian Hasan Al Marzooqi, chief executive officer at TDIC, says: “We launched this project back in April of this year and works are on track in preparation for the main construction of the project. The contractor has mobilised on site for the enabling works and we expect to announce the main construction works contract before the end of this year.”

Mamsha Al Saadiyat ... work in progress.

Saadiyat Lagoons is a premium residential community. Phase One of the district includes 820 townhouses set in a gated community. The townhouses will comprise two- to four-bedroom units featuring a contemporary design style. Homeowners will also have access to a range of community facilities such as community pools and children’s playgrounds, including a dedicated convenience store, and access to a neighbourhood lagoon. 

The project has been designed to encourage active lifestyles, with walking and cycling paths located throughout the district and horse-riding trails set alongside the mangroves area. Alongside these diverse leisure elements, the district will also include two lifestyle and retail destinations: a town centre, which overlooks the central plaza, the central lagoon and a linear park, and a waterfront village, located close to the water’s edge and easily accessible by the district’s various paths.

Meanwhile, work is also well under way on the construction of Mamsha Al Saadiyat, the contract for which was awarded in April this year to a joint venture of San Jose Contracting and Pivot Engineering and General Contracting. The Dh1.25-billion ($340.32 million) contract is scheduled for delivery in Q2 of 2018. 

Al Marzooqi says: “Mamsha Al Saadiyat is progressing as per schedule. Given its prime location, it continues to drive interest from investors, and because of that demand, we are looking forward to releasing more residential units to the market in the near future, with plans to start leasing retail and food and beverage space to the market in Q4 of 2016.”

An artist’s impression of the development.

Mamsha Al Saadiyat, a 1.4-km beachfront mixed-use project, will feature nine low-rise residential buildings with 461 units, of which 327 units will be one- to four-bedroom apartments ranging from 106 to 473 sq m in size, 78 will be lofts, and 47 will be two- to three-bedroom townhouses and garden units with some having a roof garden that offers direct access to the podium level. There will also be nine five-bedroom penthouses from 1,055 to 1,099 sq m, each featuring a terrace with a private swimming pool.

In addition to apartments, the project encompasses a serviced-apartment building and a beach retail destination offering approximately 5,000 sq m of leasable area, for both retail and dining outlets with access to a 1.4-km promenade with specified walking and cycling paths, direct access to the beach, children’s playgrounds, and dedicated parking for both residents and visitors.

Saadiyat is a natural island a 10-minute drive away from downtown Abu Dhabi featuring luxury resorts, championship beachfront golf courses, sophisticated residential communities, retail destinations and cultural institutions such as Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

TDIC, established in 2006, is fully owned by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. It is the developer  of Saadiyat and Desert Islands – a heritage-based tourism destination composed of eight islands – Sir Bani Yas Island, and the historical Dalma Island.