Emaar to spend $1bn on Burj Dubai
Dubai: Dubai developer Emaar Properties says it will spend about Dh3.9 billion ($1.06 billion) to build the world's tallest tower.
Emaar chairman Mohammed Ali Alabbar said the height of the Burj Dubai (Dubai Tower) was not yet fixed, but it would be the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion.
The world's highest towers are the Petronas Towers in Malaysia (452 m) and Chicago's Sears Tower (442 m). China is building a tower in Shanghai World that will stand at 492 m when completed.
Australian contractor Grocon is reported to have been signed as contract to build the Burj Dubai but this was not confirmed by Emaar officials.
Go-ahead for residential tower
Dubai: Dubai Municipality has issued a licence to Shaikh Rashid Bin Almolla to build a residential tower with a total built-up area of 772,000-sq ft on a 10,000-sq ft plot on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The $28 million project involves construction of 38-storey building comprising 194 residential apartments and shops with a total area of 3,825 sq ft. In addition, there will be a 294-slot car park, a swimming pool and a health club.
The consultant is Abdullah Ahmad Al Moosa.
Dubai Municipality has also issued a licence to build the $82.2 million Etisalat Tower in Al Kifaf area. Dhabi Contracting Establishment has been awarded the contract to build the tower which will have three basements, ground floor plus 31 upper storeys. Total built-up area is 722,000 sq ft over a plot area of 85,000 sq ft.
The building includes administration offices and communication facilities. In addition, a large parking area is provided for 380 cars. The consultant of the project is Shankland Cox. The project will be completed by November 2005.
Fujairah chamber deal awarded
Fujairah: Fujairah-based East Coast and Hamriyah Contracting Company has been awarded the Dh20 million ($5.4 million) contract to build the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture's new premises.
The 10-storey building will have a huge conference room, training rooms, and other administrative and technical divisions and a hall for the chamber's permanent exhibition of local industries.
The new building will occupy a 7,548 sq m plot behind the Fujairah Trade Centre near the Fujairah Exhibition Centre.
Engineer Hisham Musad Abdul Ghani, head of the Dimensions Engineering Consultation Company prepared the architectural design and will supervise the construction. The project work starts in August and will be completed in 13 months time.
Contractors called for power grid job
Dubai: The Ministry of Electricity and Water has invited contractors to prequalify for a contract for the Emirates national power grid project.
The works are divided into seven lots: Lot I-1 Dhaid 400 kV/220 kV/132 kV substation; Lot I-2 Extension of 400 kV Taweelah substation; Lot 1.3 Extension of 400 kV H station substation; Lot I-4 Extension of 220 kV Sajja substation; Lot II-1 Eng 400 kV overhead lines from Dhaid to Taweelah; Lot II-2 Eng 220 kV overhead lines from Dhaid to Sajja; Lot III Emirates monitoring centre (EMC) and telecommunication infrastructure.
Work to start on Trident project
Dubai: Hong-Kong based Trident International Holdings' (TIH) maiden residential apartment project in Dubai, The Waterfront, is scheduled to start later this year. The construction is to take 18 to 24 months.
The Waterfront is a 20-storey super-luxury tower with 72 residential units in the exclusive Dubai Marina community. With The Waterfront project, TIH has also introduced the new residential concept of Sky Villas for the first time in the Middle East. Combining the expansiveness and exclusivity of a villa, with the functional and convenient attributes of a luxury apartment, these duplex residential units are located on the 17th and 18th floor of the tower, offering residents the luxury of a villa on top of the building.
Four firms vie for Qidfa PMC deal
Abu Dhabi: Four firms have submitted bids for the project management consultancy on the Qidfa power and desalination plant in Abu Dhabi.
The client is the Abu Dhabi-based Union Water and Electricity Company (UWEC). The project calls for the construction of a 1,000 MW power plant and a 100-million-gallon-a-day desalination plant.
The four bidders are the UK's PB Power and Mott MacDonald and Germany's Lahmyer International and Fitchner. The contract is expected to be awarded this month.
UWEC has also received prequalification documents from 14 companies for a turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, expected to be awarded this year.
Nakheel awards design deal
Dubai: Nakheel Properties, developer of The Gardens residential community expansion has awarded the design for 20,000 new housing units to Engineering Consulting Group.
Tenders are expected to be issued in the next few months. Currently, part of the expansion to add 1,600 new homes is already under way. The villas, named the Garden View Villas, have been constructed on a 21.83-hectare plot of elevated land in Jebel Ali.
