Hydra Towers contractor named
Kele Contracting has been named the lead construction contractor for Hydra Towers, a series of five uniquely-shaped high-rise buildings in Business Bay, Dubai.
Kele Contracting, which has worked with the UAE-based developer and master-planner Hydra Properties on pre-tender construction and planning, has already started work on site. All enabling work, including shoring, piling and excavation activities, has been completed and the sub-structure work is now going on. 
The company is confident of meeting the 2011-end deadline for the project. Hydra Towers consists of high-rise buildings of between 20 and 36 floors.
Le Grand Chateau handed over
Al Fara’a Integrated Construction Group has handed over its Le Grand Chateau development in Jumeirah Village, Dubai, six months ahead of schedule.
The Dh225-million ($61.25 million) project draws inspiration from the architecture of the 16th century chateaux of the Loire Valley in France. The development comprises 15 luxurious four-bedroom ground-plus-two-storey townhouses, a residential block with 185 apartments, and a range of amenities including a gymnasium with aerobic facilities as well as entertainment and lifestyle areas. Besides its impressive design all other aspects of the project, from furniture to lighting, have been blended to ensure a consistent and themed ambience throughout the development.
Al Furjan work on track
Nakheel will hand over the first phase of its Al Furjan community development in Dubai by the fourth quarter of next year. More than 800 homes are already under construction and work is under way to enable the phased handover of the homes, said the company.
Al Furjan is a 560-hectare development south of Ibn Battuta Mall. The first development phase, which will include three, five, and six-bedroom villas and three-bedroom town houses, has already been sold.
Dulsco to expand manpower pool
Dulsco HR Solutions has announced plans to increase its blue collar manpower pool by at least 25 per cent.
The human resource outsourcing company recently brought in more than 1,000 recruits from Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and India in response to growing demand from numerous companies to outsource their manpower needs, said Valerian D’Souza, general manager, manpower services. The company covers categories such as general helpers and cleaners, semi-skilled manpower and skilled manpower, which includes plumbers, masons, electricians, carpenters, fabricators and drivers. It also outsources forklift operators, office assistants, and security guards, among others.

P&T wins top awards
P&T Architects and Engineers, Dubai, has won two prestigious awards at the Arabian Property Awards 2009.
P&T won the Architecture Award for the Kensington Krystal project, which is an office tower located in the Dubai Maritime City and the Best High-Rise Architecture award for its Ajman Corniche project, which is a high-rise residential project in Ajman.
William Yuen, design director of P&T, said: “Winning the coveted awards is a testament to the company’s philosophy of providing engineering solutions,   which are innovative, economical and cost-effective.”
i-Rise races to meet deadline
Work on the Dh1-billion ($272 million) i-Rise Office Tower project in Dubai is moving at a rapid pace to meet the delivery date next year.
Developed by Realty Capital Middle East, i-Rise will be one of the largest office towers in the region with 37 storeys of corporate and executive offices providing a total built-up area of more than 1.9 million sq ft. It will also comprise an extensive retail area with restaurants and luxurious boutiques and 2,300 parking bays. 
The business tower will feature a specially treated podium façade, modern executive and corporate offices, 19 high-speed elevators, dining establishments, commercial space, a fitness centre, a helipad and a multi-storey car park. Realty Capital is working with the main contractor Al Naboodah to complete the project on schedule. The casting of the 16th floor slab is under way, with electrical and mechanical works completed for the 14th floor.
The project is strategically located at Tecom Site-C, Dubai’s Technology and Media Free Zone.
3Com wins Schneider network deal
3COM has provided Schneider Electric’s regional headquarters in Dubai Silicon Oasis with a complete core-to-edge network, which will help the company make energy safer and more reliable.
The 3Com network infrastructure at the headquarters consists of 3Com switches with a full wireless solution and centralised network management.
Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries.
Mosque guidelines planned
THE Mosque Development Committee (MDC), the governing body responsible for formulating a general strategy to manage mosques, will soon introduce guidelines for the development and management of all new and existing mosques undergoing renovation in Abu Dhabi.
All mosques will adhere to the planning and design rules specified in the guidelines to be unveiled early next year. The guidelines and standards will be in line with the objectives of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030.

Ajman towers on target
WORK on a Dh785-million ($213.71 million) residential complex in Ajman is progressing rapidly. The UAE-based Sweet Homes Holdings said construction of Paradise Lakes Towers comprising eight 31-storey towers is going ahead despite the slowdown. About 95 per cent of the project has already been sold, it said.
Master developer R Holdings has commissioned three contractors to complete the project. The contractors involved in the project are: Al Deewan Development – Towers B2, B3 and B4; Construction Tech — Towers B5, B6 and B9; and Bekon Constructions — Towers B7 and B8. Designed by the Adnan Saffarini Engineering Consultants, Paradise Lakes Towers is part of Emirates City, a development of 92 residential and commercial towers, which will be launched in a phased manner.
Arcadis appoints new Gulf chief
ARCADIS, the international consultancy, design, engineering and management services company, has named Christopher Seymour as managing director and general manager of its Gulf building consultancy operations.
Following a successful nine-year career with the company, Seymour, formerly executive director at Arcadis UK, will take up the new role at Arcadis Gulf. His remit will be to head up the company’s activity in the Middle East, including the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman, with a strong focus on growing business in the region. Arcadis Gulf was set up in 2005 and has offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
Golf community taking shape
EIGHTY-four new villas of Victory Heights Golf Residential and Development project in Dubai have been handed over by joint-venture contractors Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Eastern Contracting (Eastern).
Victory Heights, a partnership between Bahrain-based investment bank Arcapita and Dubai Sports City, is an exclusive community development spread across some 25 million sq ft.
It offers 961 high-end villas and town homes set in and around the Els golf course. The contract between L&T/Eastern and Victory Heights is worth in excess of $150 million and involves the construction of 295 villas.

Biggest skating rink opens
THE region’s first artificial skating rink spread over 2,000 sq m has been opened in Bawadi Mall, Al Ain. The facility consists of a rink with a capacity of 200 skaters, services and spectator area. The new skating rink is part of the 10,000-sq-m Family Entertainment Centre.
BUiD launches master’s course
The British University in Dubai (BUiD) has launched a master’s programme (MSc) in construction law and dispute resolution. The university will begin accepting applications from this month (November) for the February 2010 intake.
The programme is designed for practising lawyers, engineers, architects, surveyors and those in other relevant disciplines. The programme is offered in association with the Centre of Construction Law and Dispute Resolution at King’s College London.
Workshops attract professionals
THE Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA), Abu Dhabi, is on track to launch its new building codes early next year. The new codes will address safety, efficiency and sustainability, offering more reliable buildings.
Meanwhile, workshops on the building codes were conducted recently across the emirate in which more than 1,000 professionals from the private and public sectors took part.
The workshops focused on the guidelines set by the International Building Code and supporting codes such as the International Energy Conservation Code, International Fire Code and Accessibility and Usability 2009.
DSI wins $108m MEP contract
Drake & Scull International (DSI) has won a Dh400-million ($108-million) MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) contract for a neighbourhood project in Abu Dhabi.
The project consists of a 14-storey office building, 14 apartment buildings of 14-storeys each, 148 townhouses and 11 luxury villas as well as various commercial spaces.
“This is the seventh project announced by DSI in 2009 bringing the total value of these projects to an excess of Dh2 billion ($545 million),” a spokesman for the company said.
Dubai house prices rise 7pc
Dubai house prices rose seven per cent in the third quarter of this year over the prior quarter, the first pick up since the third quarter last year, Colliers International said.
The firm pinned the rise on increased mortgage availability and more confidence about expatriate job security. Prices for apartments, villas and townhouses all showed a modest increase in the quarter from the second quarter while the number of deals also rose.

Burj Dubai opening put off
Emaar Properties has delayed the opening of Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest tower, by one month.
The opening, earlier scheduled for December 2, will now be held on January 4, the company said. The opening has already been delayed for about a year, but will now mark the day when the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, took office four years ago.
Park Towers reaches the top
DAMAC Properties’ iconic DIFC twin-tower development Park Towers in Dubai will reach the top floor this month.
The dual tower project will ultimately top out at 46 floors marking the end of the main concrete structural elements of the building. Meanwhile, external glass and aluminium cladding continues at pace to give the building its exterior of intricate blue double-glazed triangular panels set in aluminium framing. Contractor Shapoorji Pallonji has been working at a rate of completing one floor every five days.
In addition to offering freehold residential units, Park Towers will feature three levels of distinctive retail spaces and seven levels of state-of-the-art offices.
averda acquires GWC
lebanon’s environmental services specialist averda has made its first acquisition in the UAE, marking its expansion into the GCC. The acquisition of Al Ghadeer Waste Collections Company (GWC) marks a significant step for the company in its plans to become a premier environmental services provider in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region.
GWC provides municipal solid waste collection and transportation for the Sharjah Industrial Areas, free zones, airports, seaports and other public and private organisations.
averda plans to expand its regional presence with its investment in countries such as Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco and Algeria.
Sharjah costliest in Northern Emirates
Sharjah is the most expensive place to live in the Northern Emirates, while Umm Al Quwain offers the most affordable annual rental rates in the region, according to a report by Asteco, a leading property services company in the UAE.
The Asteco Northern Emirates Q3 2009 report said the apartment rental rates in the region continued to fall in the third quarter of 2009 but at a slower rate than before.
The average decline in apartment rental rates has slowed considerably to four per cent compared to 12 per cent in the second quarter and 21 per cent in the first quarter of 2009, said the report.