Drake & Scull and Habtoor Leighton have been jointly awarded a Dh395 million contract to provide mechanical, electrical and plumbing works for the latest part of one of Dubai's largest construction projects.
Dubai International Real Estate (Dire), a private developer, awarded the contract for the next phase of the Jewel of the Creek in Port Saeed to Drake & Scull Engineering and Habtoor Leighton Specon, the UAE unit of Australia’s biggest builder.
The Dh4 billion hotel and apartment scheme spread over nearly 125,000 square metres is located on the Deira side of Dubai Creek between Al Maktoum Bridge and the Floating Bridge at a site where oil rigs were once made.
It is expected to eventually include 17 high-rise blocks around a marina, including eight apartment blocks, four serviced apartment buildings, three office towers and two hotel towers. It will also feature a convention centre, recreation centre, shops and restaurants.
The contract award follows news last May that Habtoor Leighton Group had won the Dh1.45bn main building contract for the project.
First announced in 2005, Jewel of the Creek was stalled in 2010 by the global financial crisis. But in 2007, Dire awarded HLG a Dh480m contract to resume work, building a huge wall to keep the water out and four levels of basements under the creekside site.
“The UAE represents one of our bigger markets and so we anticipate further growth in our backlog here,” said Ahmad Al Naser, the managing director of Drake & Scull Engineering. “DSI picked up Dh5.34bn worth of new projects in 2014 and our projects backlog stands at an all-time high of Dh14.4bn. We are committed to playing a key role in the ongoing preparations for World Expo 2020 through our involvement in several iconic additions to Dubai’s landmarks.”
lbarnard@thenational.ae
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CREW
Director: Rajesh A Krishnan
Starring: Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kriti Sanon
Rating: 3.5/5
