Dubai-based master developer Nakheel has commenced work on a new, Dh5-billion ($1.36 billion), 20-tower community at Deira Islands, its 15.3-sq-km waterfront city in Dubai, UAE.

With 16 residential buildings, two hotels and two serviced apartment complexes, Deira Islands Boulevard will transform the skyline at Dubai’s newest living and leisure hotspot, and play a key role in achieving the emirate’s 2021 tourism vision.

Nakheel has appointed consultants AE7 to oversee the design, engineering and construction supervision of the project, which is set for delivery in Q2 2020.  A construction tender will be released in Q1 2017, the company said.

Set on an area spanning nine million sq ft, the 20 towers at Deira Islands Boulevard will surround Deira Mall, Nakheel’s 6.5-million-sq-ft shopping, dining and leisure destination. Between them, they will contain nearly 2,900 apartments and townhouses for lease as well as around 1,000 hotel rooms and serviced apartments.

Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: “Deira Islands Boulevard will be the defining landmark of the area traditionally known as ‘Old Dubai’, offering spectacular facilities in a self-sustaining community for more than 10,000 people. The project is one of a whole range of world-class attractions that we are creating at Deira Islands, which is set to become the new destination of choice for living, tourism and recreation.”

Deira Islands BouIevard will boast 1.7 million sq ft of green, communal parkland featuring landscaped gardens, shaded walkways and a host of sports and wellbeing facilities.  

The 16 residential towers – containing over 2,600 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as 256 townhouses – will span four clusters, each containing a swimming pool, recreation facilities and a retail podium with an array of shops, restaurants and services for on-the-doorstep convenience. 

The residential units at Deira Islands Boulevard form a major element of Nakheel’s residential leasing strategy, under which the company aims to double its existing number of units to nearly 36,000. Nakheel is also building new homes for lease at Jebel Ali, Nad Al Sheba, Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah Heights, adding to its existing stock at The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, International City and Jebel Ali Village.

The two hotels and two serviced apartment complexes at Deira Islands Boulevard join 10 others in Nakheel’s growing range of hospitality projects at locations across Dubai including Palm Jumeirah, Dragon Mart, Ibn Battuta Mall and Jumeirah Village Triangle. Nakheel has 5,200 hotel rooms in operation, under construction or at the design stage, with more to be announced soon.  

Deira Mall, the centrepiece of Deira Islands Boulevard, is among 15 large-scale destination developments in Nakheel’s Dh16-billion ($4.35 billion) retail expansion.  The company has nearly 17 million sq ft of shop space in operation or under development, including a new mall at Nad Al Sheba, announced last week. Others include Dragon Mart 1 and 2, Ibn Battuta Mall, Golden Mile Galleria, Al Khail Avenue, Deira Islands Night Souk, The Circle Mall, Warsan Souk, Nakheel Mall and The Pointe.  Major expansions at Dragon Mart and Ibn Battuta are also under way.

Deira Islands Boulevard and other Nakheel projects will be showcased at stand S2 E10 at Cityscape Global from September 6 to 8. – TradeArabia News Service