The Jumeirah Central project will provide a fillip for the region’s construction sector, according to chief operating officer Morgan Parker.
“There are literally hundreds of companies that are going to participate and benefit from the vision of this project,” Mr Parker said. “It’s a good period for the construction industry. The beauty of having a project this large is that we can begin to have a dialogue with all of the contractors in the world, including those here in Dubai.”
Mr Parker said he was looking for “contractors that have experience in this scale of project, and also understand the quality of outcome we are looking to achieve”.
He declined to discuss details regarding the future of the Mall of the World project, which has been relocated from this site to an area of Dubailand fronting Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, but he did say announcements would be made by the project’s management over the next few months concerning its composition and delivery.
“But we do feel that when you look at that project and its ambition, that moving it to that location gives it the opportunity to really, really contribute to the Dubai tourism story in a profound way, because of the scale.”
He also said the Jumeirah Central plan was better suited to the site at Al Sufouh “because of the way in which Dubai has evolved and the way that the transport networks have evolved”, as it will eventually link to two metro lines, as well as having six tram stops and 33 bus lines running through it.
The high-density levels and mix of uses will also help to cut car journeys, he said. “It’s a great antidote to the fragmented lifestyle that Dubai demands of its people. The response historically has been to build more roads, but the government understands that can’t go on forever.
“Great cities have urban hearts. Dubai is a city that has wonderful attractions, but we want to bring an urbanity to it which it has not yet experienced.”
mfahy@thenational.ae
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