An emirate steeped in tradition, Sharjah presents a gentle contrast to the frenetic pace of its neighbouring metropolis. It is often referred to as the cultural capital of the UAE, characterised by low-rise buildings in quieter streets and a general air of antiquity.
While a sense of tradition is central to Sharjah's charm, plans are in place to modernise certain parts of the emirate. Billions of dirhams are being earmarked to develop a handful of bustling suburbs – one of which is Aljada, a real estate megaproject by Sharjah-based developer Arada.
“We want to create a new Sharjah,” says Amit Arora, Arada's chief operating officer, who also oversees the company's recently formed hospitality and entertainment division. It is not a far-fetched claim, as the scenery starkly changes as I drive from Dubai to Aljada, in the emirate's Muweilah district, 15 minutes away from Sharjah International Airport.
The development may be bordered by nondescript industrial areas, but the rusty browns give way to lush greenery and gleaming facades as I enter the vicinity, which is adorned with modern brick roads and trees at every corner. Arora emerges out of one of the buildings lining the shaded streets.
COO, Arada
“Welcome to Aljada,” he says with a big smile, before leading me into the leasing office of Nest, one of Aljada's flagship amenities and the first stop in the exclusive tour the team have prepared for The National.
The megaproject was announced in 2017 and unveiled by Sharjah ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The all-encompassing urban district covers 2.2 square kilometres of land and can home up to 70,000 residents. The first phase is almost complete, with the envisioned community taking shape in the last few years.
'It's time to create a lifestyle'
“Aljada is a living and breathing community now. It's time to cross-pollinate all the assets and create a lifestyle,” says Arora, who was brought in specifically to lead on this front.
“We started off as just a developer. Then, we became master developers. Today, we're destination developers, and the moment you go there, the glue that's going to bring it together is hospitality.”
Arora's remit includes everything that will make the urban district a compelling place to visit, despite the notorious Dubai-Sharjah traffic, as well as to reside in.
“Arada's commitment to its communities is to enrich them with experiences, and our motto is 'connected life',” he explains. Even before Arora joined the company, Arada had introduced several leisure amenities at Aljada, including the Madar complex, which opened in 2020 and includes Aljada Skate Park that's been used for Olympic qualifiers and other international championships.
More recently, Aljada opened Shajar tree nursery, which is accessible to the public. The nursery has more than 130,000 trees, and visitors can book a free guided tour of the manicured forest to learn more about the trees and shrubs used for landscaping in the UAE. It even has a cutesy cafe that sits amid a canopy of trees.
The first phase also features an outpost of trampoline park Bounce, as well as Sharjah's largest and most advanced gym Wellfit Madar – both of which opened this past year.
Residents of Aljada also benefit from direct access to local produce via Manbat, a farmers' market with a demo lab of hydroponics farming where visitors can learn more about agriculture technology.
While visibly optimistic in his vision of Aljada's potential, Arora is aware of some challenges when it comes to perception. “The moment people hear Sharjah, they don't really appreciate what's in it for them,” he says.
Until recently, Arora himself was part of Erth Abu Dhabi, the hospitality group that owns the world's only Emirati-inspired Michelin-starred restaurant Erth. He says people were initially surprised when he left the capital for Sharjah.
“I came to see it and I fell in love with it,” Arora says, adding he couldn't believe what he was seeing and felt strongly that he wanted to be part of it.
Anantara Sharjah and other hotels
This is not uncharacteristic for Arora, who has been in the UAE for more than two decades. He's behind some of the biggest hotel openings in the country, from the Armani Hotel at Burj Khalifa to Emaar's The Address brand. He has also worked in Ras Al Khaimah, and most recently in the capital.
“I opened hotels in Ras Al Khaimah when no one was looking at the emirate. I then went to Abu Dhabi and we did Erth. Now it's time for Sharjah. I feel this is its moment and I didn't want to miss the boat.”
Aljada will soon be home to four hotels, including Rove and Vida. This not only plays into Arora's strengths as a former hotelier, but also is a major element in Arada's mission to make Sharjah a traveller-friendly destination.
While the developer is on track to launch Anantara Sharjah Resort in another part of the emirate, Arora reveals that, eventually, Arada will launch and operate its own hotel brand.
“I can see in five years' time, maybe 20 per cent of Arada's overall business will be linked to hospitality. Today, it's a small drop in the ocean.”
There's currently no operating hotel at Aljada, but it is home to Nest, a state-of-the-art accommodation that caters to students in surrounding universities.
Resident mall and more restaurants
Arora has high hopes for this “new” Sharjah, especially after the government decision to allow all nationalities to own a property in the emirate with no time restriction.
To cater to future residents who will call Aljada home, the urban district is on track to launch its own business park (“the DIFC of Sharjah”, as Arora calls it), a mall and a state-of-the-art theatre in the next two years. “This is only the tip of the iceberg, there's more, more and more to follow,” says Arora.
At the time of writing, about 80 shops have opened along a 2.2km avenue, which Arora hopes will be a draw among those who already live in Sharjah.
Persian restaurant Berenjak, which was recently included in the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, recently opened on site. La Brioche also opened its first Sharjah branch at Aljada, as well as Italian-American restaurant TBK and beloved burger joint Pickl. Upcoming restaurant launches include Indian venue Rang, Late Lounge Cafe and Mara Lounge, and smoked meats venue Chef Eyad.
“People who usually drive up and down this road go to the Northern Emirates. They might pass by Sharjah, but there was probably no reason for them to take that exit and come here. We are looking to change this,” concludes Arora.
