Kuwait’s National Real Estate Company (NREC) is set to tender the main construction contract for its AED3.2bn ($871m) mixed-use mall project in Abu Dhabi in the next three to six months.

The mall development, to be located on Reem Island, will include retail units, office units, a 500-room four star hotel, 170 residential apartments and car parking facilities.

The gross floor area of the shopping area will be 260,000 square metres, and the office units will occupy an area 35,000 sq m. With the inclusion of the car parking facilities, the total development will cover an area of 960,000 sq m.

Germany’s Bauer has been awarded the enabling works contract and is due to start piling work in August this year.

“The main construction contract is to be tendered in the next three to six months,” says Boubakar Rahmani, general manager, NREC-Abu Dhabi.

The local office of KEO International Consultants has been appointed as the main architect for the project.

The mall development is set for completion in early 2013.

NREC is also developing a AED1.2bn residential development on Reem island. The Carina Views project, which will be located on Reem island, will include four 22-storey towers. The towers will contain 684 residential apartments, community rooms, swimming pools and parking facilities.

The developer plans to tender the main construction contract for the project on 2 May.

Bauer is carrying out the enabling work on the residential project. KEO is the consultant (MEED 12:4:10).