An ambitious plan to transform Saadiyat Island from a desert industrial storage area into a signature island destination has taken flight with the signing of an agreement to build a Gehry-designed Guggenheim museum there (see separate article) and the recent invitation to contractors to bid for the construction of a 10-lane highway bridge that will link the Dh100 billion ($27 billion) island development with the UAE capital.

Ten pre-qualified international and local/international joint venture contractors are in the race to win and construct the bridge, which is believed to be among the biggest infrastructure developments in the capital city. Construction work on the project is expected to begin later this year
Saadiyat Island, which translates from Arabic as ‘Island of Happiness,’ is to be developed in three phases from 2006-2018. Half the size of the tropical island of Bermuda, the 27 sq km Saadiyat is the Middle East’s largest single natural island development. It will be home to a community of over 150,000 people who will own freehold properties, and will feature hotels, museums, 19 km of sandy beach, golf courses, eco-resorts, marinas, a concert hall and art gallery.
Saadiyat is one of around 200 natural islands 500 m off the coast of Abu Dhabi and will set the development tone for the islands Much of the island to the east is characterised by ecologically-sensitive mangrove reserves abundant with aquatic and bird life.
Masterplanned to differentiate it as a centre of sophisticated elegance in one of the world’s most rapidly developing regions, it will be a destination unique in its diversity with six distinct districts delivering a multitude of experiences.
Saadiyat, according to Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has been personally involved in its masterplanning, will send a signal to the world that the UAE Federal seat of Government is now very much open to business and ready to actively partner the private sector.
“One of the over-riding development criteria is the creation of a multi-faceted destination while retaining and enhancing the island’s natural beauty,” comments Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and of the recently-formed Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), which is overseeing Saadiyat’s evolution.
Saadiyat will be linked to Abu Dhabi city via two iconic causeways, each with 10-lane freeways and one of which will have provision for a light railway.

Highway bridge
The decision on who will clinch the international tender issued by the TDIC for the first of the highways will be made in a couple of months.
“We anticipate making the contract award within the next two months with an eye on construction commencing in the final quarter of this year,” says TDIC managing director Mubarak Al Muhairi.
 “When complete, access provided by this main bridge will result in a five-minute drive from Abu Dhabi to Saadiyat,” he adds.
Up for grabs will be civil, electrical and mechanical works for a 2-km, 10-lane freeway connecting the capital city’s Mina Zayed area with Saadiyat Island and the main 1.5 km bridge and two, 200-m off ramps on the island.
The construction of the bridge – which will be the main gateway to Saadiyat Island, which is being transformed into a strategic international tourism destination – is expected to take about 36 months to complete.
 “The bridge has been designed as a concrete box girder carrying five lanes of traffic in each direction as well as two future passenger rail system tracks and will be built using segmental technology,” says Leo Tabler, CEO of TDIC.
The second 10-lane freeway will link Saadiyat Island with the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, which would mean the island would then be just 25 km from the Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Resorts
Among the first investors to set up a Dh700 million ($190 million) in a five-star destination resort at Saadiyat is Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), a leading hospitality group with interests spanning tourism, transportation and catering.
The TDIC is offering land on the island to private investors who will each develop their sites in accordance with the masterplan and supporting planning regulations and design guidelines.
The resort will be built on the island’s secluded Saadiyat Beach district with ADNH purchasing an 807,000 sq ft plot for the project from TDIC. “This will be a flagship addition to the growing ADNH portfolio,” says Khalifa Nasser Huwaileel Al Mansoori, chairman, ADNH, “and we are pleased to be one of the first partners in this ambitious Saadiyat Island development.”
 The resort will boast a 400,000 sq ft hotel with around 400 rooms and will be managed by an international hotel operator.
 “We anticipate making further announcements, including details of the design, selected architects and operator, in the not too distant future,” says Al Mansoori. “We expect construction to begin in the first quarter of next year with the resort opening in the second quarter of 2009.”
The ADNH resort will have a unique setting overlooking a 300-m-wide beach. “The unique environment of Saadiyat Island and its beaches present special opportunities to hotel and resort developers,” says Al Muhairi. “Directly behind the ADNH plot beachfront lie a series of natural sand dunes and fauna. Guests will access the resort beaches by a series of boardwalks and pathways that will meander through the picturesque dune environment. Once on the beach, visitors will experience a completely natural setting that is only a few minutes walk from their hotel rooms.”
TDIC says it has chosen only a few select developers for projects on Saadiyat Beach and has established strict development criteria for the area.
“Our aim for Saadiyat Beach is to have highly landscaped resorts that are secluded and private. Development concepts for the beach must take into consideration the natural environment as well as offering hotel guests recreational amenities and entertainment on a par with the world’s best resort settings. ADNH was selected for development because we were extremely impressed with its approach and concept,” says Al Muhairi.
Saadiyat Beach, which lies to the northwest of Saadiyat Island, is masterplanned to produce a range of five-star resorts flanking 9 km of pristine beach, a championship golf course with freehold villas, dedicated sailing club and private beach clubs, all creating a celebrity see-and-be-seen atmosphere.
Meanwhile, enabling works to clear the ground for infrastructure development of the island are now under way. The Dh128.45 million ($35 million) enabling works contract was awarded to the Abu Dhabi-headquartered Al Jaber Group, which runs one of the UAE’s largest contracting companies.
The contract is expected to take nine months to complete and covers clearance of the site, demolition of existing structures, re-routing of services, erection of fencing, construction of temporary roads around the island and office buildings and security gates.
The Saadiyat Island is the first of many projects that fall under the TDIC remit and its development “will heighten awareness of Abu Dhabi’s plans for economic diversification and will also reinforce the perception of the capital city as a regional and international business and tourism hub,” says the Crown Prince.
The project will be a testimony to “Abu Dhabi’s renewed economic openness and a signal to the world that this emirate is very much open for partnerships and business on an international scale.”
“TDIC will be responsible for the infrastructure of the island, which we estimate will cost around Dh5.5 billion or just over $1.5 billion,” says Al Muhairi.