Abu Dhabi-based developer Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) is preparing to issue tender documents in late December for the contract to build the Saadiyat Beach apartments on Saadiyat Island.

The planned closing date for the tender is 3 February 2010.

The project involves the construction of about seven mid-rise apartment buildings on the beach district of Saadiyat Island close to the St Regis resort and the Saadiyat Beach Residences, both still under construction.

In August, TDIC awarded an estimated AED1bn ($272m) contract to build 295 villas at Saadiyat Beach Residences to the local Al-Jaber Group.

In May, the joint venture of Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and South Africa’s Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East) won the AED2bn ($545m) contract to build the St Regis resort.

TDIC is also looking for contractors to build three of the museums that form Saadiyat Island’s cultural district. They include the Louvre, the Guggenheim and Zayed National Museum.

Contractors have also prequalified to build Mubadala Development Company’s New York University on the island (MEED 27:11:09).

The $27.2bn Saadiyat Island project is one of the largest real estate schemes in the UAE. It includes hotels, villas, golf courses and a cultural district.

In late October TDIC opened the $191m Saadiyat Bridge which connects the island to Abu Dhabi Island.