Sorouh launches Shams on Al-Reem

23 September 2005
The local Sorouh Real Estate Companyhas launched Shams Abu Dhabi as its first real estate offering. The 1.3 million-square-metre mixed-use development will occupy about 25 per cent of the 633-hectare Al-Reem Island 300 metres off the coastline. Shams Abu Dhabi is one of three major real estate projects announced for Al-Reem, previously known as Abu Shoum.

Shams Abu Dhabi's masterplan includes more than 100 buildings ranging from three to 70 storeys and offering a total of 22,000 residential units. About 90 per cent of the area is residential space, with the remaining 10 per cent set aside for commercial and retail activities. Many of the plots will be made available to individual investors once a mechanism for allocating the land has been finalised.

The largest structures to be built on the island are the Icon Tower, which will go out to an international design competition, and the Gateway towers.

Other components include a 100,000-square-metre central park, a four-kilometre-long canal network and two road bridges connecting the island to Abu Dhabi. The project will be developed in phases with the entire scheme scheduled for completion in 2011.

The overall masterplan was prepared by US-based RNL. US-based Arquitectonicaand Perkins & Will, and Hong Kong-based Aedasare the concept designers.

The US' Turner Construction Internationalhas been providing project management services.

The first construction contracts on the project will be the site preparation and infrastructure works, which is expected to go to tender before the end of the year.

Other developers on the Al-Reem island are the local Tamouh Investmentsand Reem Investments (MEED 10:6:05).

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