Infrastructure work progressing at Downtown Jebel Ali – developer

Infrastructure work at the delayed Downtown Jebel Ali project in Dubai is progressing, master developer Limitless said in a statement on Wednesday.

So far, deep utilities work has been completed at half of the 200 hectare mixed-use project.

Sewerage, storm water and water works have been completed at 50 per cent of the project, with roads now underway.

Deep utilities work is ongoing at the rest of the development, with anticipated completion this summer, the statement said.

Under the Dhs285m contract awarded to UAE-based Arco General Contracting in 2015, all infrastructure will be finished in 2018.

Read more: Limitless awards Dhs285m deal for downtown Jebel Ali project

Limitless chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: “Downtown Jebel Ali is taking shape, with infrastructure work progressing well. We are well on our way to connecting service to all third party plots.

A mixed-use community, Downtown Jebel Ali is spread over four zones that, combined, stretch 11km along Sheikh Zayed Road.

The project has more than 300 third party plots on which investors will build a mixture of apartments, hotels, offices and retail developments.

Limitless has already developed The Galleries at Downtown Jebel Ali, a business and retail community in zone 1.

Residential units at The Galleries are also under construction, with Limitless awarding a Dhs227.5m contract to Sharjah-based contractor Eastern International for two new residential towers last year.

The new units are due for completion in 2018, the statement said.

Launched as a Dhs70bn development in 2006, Downtown Jebel Ali was slated for completion in 2011, and was meant to accommodate 235,000 people when ready.

However, Limitless, a former property arm of Dubai World, ran into debt troubles after the emirate’s property crash in 2009.

Following a debt restructuring deal, the developer missed a payment in 2014, but managed to strike another deal with its lenders last year.

Under the new deal, Limitless will repay its entire outstanding bank debts of Dhs4.45bn in three installments in December 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Also read: Nepali billionaire hits out at Dubai’s Limitless, Nakheel for unfinished projects