Damac Properties said the enabling works have been completed at its Lincoln Park site in Arjan, Dubailand, and the company will soon award the main construction contract.

Lincoln Park is the first of Damac Properties’ developments to get underway at Dubailand.

This low-rise development of seven buildings comprising residential and commercial units has been designed based on a Chicago architectural style and is due to be completed by 2011.

The main contractor IFG has completed the enabling works worth Dh6.7 million ($1.82 million) on the site and has prepared the foundation works ready for the commencement of work by the main contractor.

Clearing the site and preparing the ground for building to begin has taken less than four months.The contract is yet to be awarded but tenders are currently being assessed by the company, said a top official.

Welcoming the progress on site, Damac Properties CEO Peter Riddoch said that the company was excited to see its first development at Dubailand get underway.

‘Dubailand will be one of the most exciting developments in the whole of Dubai’s history. It is bringing worldwide attention to Dubai and will potentially open up the region to a whole new group of people,’ he pointed out.

'We have a number of projects planned in that locality but it is pleasing to see our first one get underway successfully at Lincoln Park. With the enabling works now complete, we will be ready to commence construction as soon as we have assessed all the tenders,' Riddoch noted.

‘We are very excited to be a part of this innovative and exciting new phase in Dubai’s continued development,’ he commented.

Once completed Dubailand will be one of the world’s largest tourism destinations – spanning more than 3 billion sq ft and weighing in at twice the size of Disneyworld in Florida.

Riddoch added: 'The creation of Dubailand offers yet another opportunity for companies like Damac to continue to be a part of the UAE success story.'

'We believe that the mix of residential and retails units we are constructing in this area will prove very popular with a whole range of customers from end users to investors. The area has a lot of potential and an exciting future,' he added.

Lincoln Park will have ornamental entrance ways, flat roofs with parapet walls and sun terraces on top of the buildings.

The ground floors will feature a range of shops and restaurants enabling those people living and working at Lincoln Park to make the most of their leisure time.-TradeArabia News Service