The largest of the contracts, estimated to be worth AED 235 million ($64 million), has been awarded to the local Al-Shafar General Transport & Contracting. Covering the Chinamart package, it involves the construction of a shopping mall to be built in the shape of a dragon over 150,000 square metres and a 30,000-square-foot warehousing facility. The contract includes architectural, structural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works.

Two other local firms have been awarded contracts to build apartments on the development. Ali Moosa Contractinghas the AED 150 million ($41 million) contract to carry out package 1 and Union Engineering Construction (UNEC)has the AED 146 million ($40 million) package 2 contract. Each contract involves the construction of 25 apartment buildings and related facilities. The three packages will each take 12 months to complete.

The first package on China Town, covering infrastructure works, was awarded in July to the local Bin Hafeez General Contracting & Transport Establishment at a cost of AED 173 million ($47 million - MEED 11:7:03).

The China Town mixed-use project involves the construction of residential apartments, a shopping mall, entertainment facilities, factory outlets, warehousing and related works.

The consultant for the infrastructure and apartments packages is Lebanon's Associated Consultants Engineers (ACE) International. The local Shahid Engineering Consultants is the consultant for the Chinamart package. The client is Dubai-based Nakheel(MEED 8:5:03).

www.meed.com/construction