Marsa Zayed

Aqaba, Jordan

http://www.almaabar.com/media/thumbnail/project-spotlight/eebba4b206f819a269c6ffb5c34ce2a4/20100707_001-0295.jpg

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Size
Site area: 3.2 million sqm
Built-up area: more than 6 million sqm

Date
Construction: Phase 1 - In Progress
Completion: Phase 1 Estimated completion date of 2014.
Project completion date over 30 years

The project will be implemented in several phases over a period of 30 years. To date Al Maabar has received 2.0 million sqm of land out of the 3.2 million square meters, as for the remainder of the land 1.2 million square meters is still occupied by the Aqaba Port facilities and it is anticipated to be received for redevelopment in 2013.

Phase 1 for Development (2010-2014)

Construction efforts for phase one are well underway and it includes completing the entire infrastructure work for approximately 300,000m² of land. Phase one consists of a 33 storey mixed-use tower which includes 8 office floors and 25 residential apartment floors (174 units); Sheikh Zayed’s Grand Masjid which will accommodate around 2000 worshipers; 146 Townhouses; and 263 Village Flats that will be serviced by a neighborhood retail and community center. Phase one will be completed by mid 2014.

Upon completion of the whole project, the total built-up area will be 6.4 million sqm. The development will consist of 8 hotels including around 3,000 hotel rooms, more than 30,000 residential units of premium villas, villas, townhouses and apartments, and at least 350 marina berths.

Abu Dhabi's Al Maabar launches $10 billion Aqaba development

Amman, February 26th, 2009


http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/marsazayed.jpg


Abu-Dhabi-based Al Maabar International Investments has announced the development of Marsa Zayed, a $10 billion real estate investment in Aqaba, through its subsidiary the Al Maabar Jordan Real Estate Development Company. The announcement took place at a gala dinner held last night under the patronage of Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi, who was joined by Al Maabar's chairman Ahmad Ali Al Sayegh, vice-chairman Mr. Saeed Eid Al Ghafli and managing director Mr. Yousef Al Nowais. Also present was the Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone AuthorityAqaba Special Economic Zone AuthorityAqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Marsa Zayed, named in memory of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is a 3.2 Km² development including 2 Km of waterfront and is the biggest real estate and tourism project to take place in the history of Jordan. It is also one of the most significant developments in the region. Al Maabar will develop a mega mixed-use waterfront project, including high-rise residential towers, retail, recreational, entertainment, business and financial districts and several branded hotels. Several marinas will add to the current berthing capacity which will transform Aqaba into a premier yachting destination; in addition to a state-of-the-art cruise ship terminal, which will become one of Jordan's touristic landmarks and a welcoming gateway to Aqaba.


The project will be implemented in several phases once the transfer of land ownership is complete. Phase one of construction will commence by the first half of 2010 following the completion of the land survey and a series of technical studies which are currently taking place in coordination with Aqaba's local Authority, ASEZAASEZA. In 2008, Al Maabar signed an agreement with the Government of Jordan whereby the company acquired 3.2 million Sqm of land in Aqaba for $500 million for the development and establishment of a mixed-use residential, tourism and commercial project. The government's handover of the land will be carried out in three phases; the first to take place by June of this year, the second in September while the third and final phase by March 2013, once the new ports are built in southern Aqaba.


"Al Maabar is committed to delivering added value to its partner countries. This is achieved through job creation, stimulating economies and the development of local skills and capabilities. We take great pride in our partnership with Jordan and are very confident that this relationship will only strengthen as Marsa Zayed becomes a landmark project and a major economic stimulus for the Kingdom", said Al Nowais. He added that, "The name Marsa Zayed was selected collectively by His Majesty King Abdullah, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed and His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in memory of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates."

"Today we celebrate the announcement of one of the most successful and exceptional projects in Aqaba, which strengthens the already outstanding brotherly relations between Jordan and the UAE," said the Chief Commissioner of Aqaba Special Economic Zone AuthorityAqaba Special Economic Zone AuthorityAqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Al Maabar was established in 2007 as a joint venture between Abu Dhabi's six leading investment companies: Mubadala, Al Dar Properties, Sorouh Real Estate, Reem Investments, Reem International and Al Qudra Holdings , with several projects underway in the Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa.

Al Maabar International Investments is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi's five leading real estate developers: The company aims to raise the profile of Abu Dhabi's real estate sector on the world stage, with a mission to become one of the UAE's most distinguished global investment enterprises. Al Maabar develops landmark property developments throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia. These developments are designed to add real value to the host country through job creation, talent development, knowledge transfer and economic stimulus.

http://www.almaabar.com/en/media/get/20100131_marsa-zayed-masterplan.jpg

New Pictures and videos on this website:
http://www.almaabar.com/en/project/our-projects/jordan/marsa-zayed.html

Construction: Phase 1 commences third quarter, 2010

Completion: Phase 1 Estimated completion date of 2014.

Project completion date over 30 years:crazy:

Congratulations Everyone! Today they will officially launch the project!
they have a new website now: http://marsazayed.org/

Amazing!

Aqaba’s Marsa Zayed first phase launched


His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday attended the launch of the first phase of the $10 billion Marsa Zayed project in Aqaba, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

At a launch ceremony attended by UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Saif Ben Zayed Al Nahayan, King Abdullah laid the cornerstone of the project, which is being implemented by Al Maabar Jordan Real Estate Development Company.
Under the project, Al Maabar, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi-based Al Maabar International Investments, will develop the mixed-use waterfront project, including high-rise residential towers, retail, recreational, entertainment, business and financial facilities along with several branded hotels.

Also attending the ceremony were HRH Prince Feisal, Prime Minister Samir Rifai, Royal Court Chief Nasser Lozi and King’s Adviser Ayman Safadi in addition to several ministers and senior officials as well as businesspeople from Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

Yousef Nowais, board member and managing director of Al Maabar International Investments, said Marsa Zayed is one of the largest integrated real estate projects in the region, saying it will boost the strategic location of the city of Aqaba regionally and internationally.

He added that the project, named after late UAE President Sheikh Zayed Ben Sultan Al Nahayan, is likely to boost the development process in Jordan in all fields.

The ceremony included a short film on the various phases of the project and how it will look like once completed.

Chairing a meeting for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) commissioners council, King Abdullah expressed comfort for the development progress at Aqaba through implementing and attracting investments with a view to create job opportunities and enhance the Kingdom’s economy.

Emphasising the importance of working to transfer the port city into an economic, tourist and financial hub for the region, the King called for exerting more efforts to attract investments by developing comprehensive proposals applying a scientific approach to be capable of convincing investors of the feasibility of investing on the almost decade-old duty-free zone.

He also stressed the need to provide Aqaba residents with better services and to work according to clear plans to improve their living standards and basic services as well as infrastructure.

The Monarch also pointed that there should be an advisory committee from the private sector in Aqaba in order to update ASEZA council on investors’ needs, speed up achievements and overcome obstacles facing investments in the Red Sea city.

King Abdullah was briefed by ASEZA Chief Commissioner Mohammad Saqer on the authority’s achievements in attracting investments as well as its efforts to involve local community in the development process.
Saqer said that the strategic plan for ASEZA was to attract investments worth $6 billion during the first years of its establishment but ASEZA’s achievements exceeded expectations, attracting projects valued at $18 billion.

Marsa Zayed facts

• Marsa Zayed is the biggest real estate and tourism project to take place in the history of Jordan as it will be developed on nearly 3,200 dunums with a two-kilometre waterfront.

• The $10-billion project will be implemented by Al Maabar Jordan Real Estate Development Company, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi-based Al Maabar International Investments.

• The mixed-use waterfront project includes high-rise residential towers, retail, recreational, entertainment, business and financial facilities along with several branded hotels. The venture is expected to create over 15,000 job opportunities once it is completed.

• The company said the planned marinas are likely to “transform Aqaba into a premier yachting destination”. A cruise ship terminal is also on the drawing board.

• The project will be implemented in several phases once the transfer of land ownership is completed by the government.

• Phase one of construction will commence by the first half of 2010 following the completion of the land survey and a series of technical studies which are currently under way in coordination with Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.

• In 2008, Al Maabar signed an agreement with the government under which the company acquired 3.2 million square metres of land in Aqaba for $500 million. The land was the location of the old port, which will be relocated to the southern tip of the town.

• The government’s handover of the land will be carried out in three phases; the first to take place by June of this year, the second in September while the third and final phase by March 2013, once the new ports are built in southern Aqaba.

• Al Maabar International Investments is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi’s five leading real estate developers.

• Al Maabar develops landmark property developments throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia.

This is great news for Aqaba indeed. Does any one know exactly where the port will be relocated? There is hardly any space available in the southern area that is unless the Saudis give us some more space and redraw the border - again.

This is great news for Aqaba indeed. Does any one know exactly where the port will be relocated? There is hardly any space available in the southern area that is unless the Saudis give us some more space and redraw the border - again.

From what I recall, they will build the new port on the border with Saudia Arabia.

Suadi Arabia should give Jordan all its border on the Aqaba bay :D, i mean seriously KSA has tons of shoreline along the red sea... a few kilometers less will not hurt, besides its not like they are using it for anything, meanwhile it can be of great economic importance to Jordan !!! they should think about that...

can jordan trade with them??? i mean a couple of km's on the shore in exchange for a few sq kilometers inland ???

Suadi Arabia should give Jordan all its border on the Aqaba bay :D, i mean seriously KSA has tons of shoreline along the red sea... a few kilometers less will not hurt, besides its not like they are using it for anything, meanwhile it can be of great economic importance to Jordan !!! they should think about that...

can jordan trade with them??? i mean a couple of km's on the shore in exchange for a few sq kilometers inland ???

Jordan and saudi arabia did Swap land near aqaba twice already. It would be great if we can get more land on the shore of Aqaba!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Jordan-Saudi_Arabia_Land_Exchange.gif/250px-Jordan-Saudi_Arabia_Land_Exchange.gif

Suadi Arabia should give Jordan all its border on the Aqaba bay :D, i mean seriously KSA has tons of shoreline along the red sea... a few kilometers less will not hurt, besides its not like they are using it for anything, meanwhile it can be of great economic importance to Jordan !!! they should think about that...

can jordan trade with them??? i mean a couple of km's on the shore in exchange for a few sq kilometers inland ???

As shown by Amman12 Jordan and Saudi Arabia have already traded land in the past.

The only problem now is- Saudi Arabia had some construction sites and small towns near the Jordanian border. I think it’s highly unlikely that they would kick people out of their homes on the shoreline for some more desert.

^
^
Yes, the town of Haqil ( حقل ) is right beside the border line and only 30km away from Aqaba .

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5433/picture1aqabahhaqil5.jpg

So , I don't think further swap deals are on the table .

Marsa Zayed 3D video - AQABA
np9dG2HkAdI

As shown by Amman12 Jordan and Saudi Arabia have already traded land in the past.

The only problem now is- Saudi Arabia had some construction sites and small towns near the Jordanian border. I think it’s highly unlikely that they would kick people out of their homes on the shoreline for some more desert.

Tayeb how about a land reclaimation project ??? not necessarily something like dubai:nuts: but something more similar to what they did in doha or beirut.... simple, cheap, and it would increase the coastline...
in beirut it didn't cost the government a thing, they gave the rights to SOLIDERE to own and develop the land in exchange of funding and performing the land reclaimation process...

Tayeb how about a land reclaimation project ??? not necessarily something like dubai:nuts: but something more similar to what they did in doha or beirut.... simple, cheap, and it would increase the coastline...
in beirut it didn't cost the government a thing, they gave the rights to SOLIDERE to own and develop the land in exchange of funding and performing the land reclaimation process...

The problem is that alot of the shore off Aqaba has coral reefs which would be destroyed (already some are being destroyed by the new port project), and to destroy the coral would be like killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Also, I think the gulf of Aqaba is quite deep so land reclamation would be quite expensive, but what is being done is the opposite of land reclamation because the new projects are based around artificially built lagoons which extend the shoreline inland.

^^ ahhhh that is not bad either

The problem is that alot of the shore off Aqaba has coral reefs which would be destroyed (already some are being destroyed by the new port project), and to destroy the coral would be like killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Also, I think the gulf of Aqaba is quite deep so land reclamation would be quite expensive, but what is being done is the opposite of land reclamation because the new projects are based around artificially built lagoons which extend the shoreline inland.

Exactly this.

Some nice new renderings and updates on Marsa Zayed.

http://www.almaabar.com

guys i updated the introductory post of the thread to include the new renders and info from thunderbolt's link.... hope u like it :)
and i think u should ask one of the mods to close the other Marsa Zayed thread on the forum's main page and to restrict all posts and news about the project on this thread to keep the forum more organized and easy to navigate through.... :D

Some nice new renderings and updates on Marsa Zayed.

http://www.almaabar.com

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/6738/screenshot20101002at101.jpg

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http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6738/screenshot20101002at101.jpg

impressive night renders !!!!

Wow, this looks awesome, only problem is this should take up to 30 years to complete :(

its ok... huge projects take lots of time... :)
the SOLIDERE reconstruction project of Beirut started in the early nineties and look were we are... and we still have minimum 15 years ahead of us for this to be finished... but its worth it !!!

Amazing night shots!

You do realize that if you see in the website, they are also mentioning about another project in Jordan which is Abdoun. According to the news they said the construction will start this year. Do any one of you know anything about this??? Just curious

You do realize that if you see in the website, they are also mentioning about another project in Jordan which is Abdoun. According to the news they said the construction will start this year. Do any one of you know anything about this??? Just curious

Its right next to the new RJ headquarters...will take a pic of it today as I pass by...Construction has yet to start...

^^

More details
http://www.almaabar.com/en/media/get/20100414_04-j0089-almaabar-gh-abdoun-factsheet-21x29.7cm.pdf

Its right next to the new RJ headquarters...will take a pic of it today as I pass by...Construction has yet to start...

Thanks piglet, i cant wait.:banana:

ok i'm gonna create a thread for the Abdoun project.....

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/6738/screenshot20101002at101.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6738/screenshot20101002at101.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6738/screenshot20101002at101.jpg

Stunning.

What's the end date, 2020? :lol:

Al Maabar Jordan starts 1st phase of Marsa Zayed project

AQABA (Petra) - Al Maabar Jordan Real Estate Development Company has started implementing the first phase of the $10 billion Marsa Zayed project in Aqaba, the company’s representative Yousef Nowais said on Sunday. Nowais made the announcement at a press conference attended by Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Chief Commissioner Mohammad Saqr and the company’s Chief Executive Officer Emad Kilani. The first phase, which is scheduled to conclude by 2014, will include infrastructure works and services for around 300,000 sq.m. of the project, Nowais explained.

It will also include 263 residential apartments and 151 semi-villas, in addition to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. In 2008, Al Maabar signed an agreement with the government under which the company acquired 3.2 million square metres of land in Aqaba for $500 million. The land was the location of the old port, which will be relocated to the southern part of the city.

Al Maabar to launch project on Marsa Zayed in Jordan
Work to begin next month for 400 residential villas

Abu Dhabi: Al Maabar, the Abu-Dhabi based international investment company, is launching a "small project" on its Marsa Zayed premises in Aqaba, Jordan. The construction of about 400 residential villas will start next month.

However, a contract for the project has not been awarded yet.

Marsa Zayed, the $10 billion (Dh36.7 billion) tourism project and the largest for Al Maabar in Jordan, is currently on hold.

Yousuf Al Nowais, Managing Director of Al Maabar told reporters in Abu Dhabi yesterday that the delay is linked mainly to the work progress at the port by the Jordanian authority.

"The port is still under operation by the Jordanian authorities and until that is handed over we are not going to do any major work at Aqaba," he said. "We are starting a small project in a small area and it's part of our land."

The port is expected to be delivered to Al Maabar in 2013, Al Nowais said.

This isn't the only project for Al Maabar that seems to be moving forward. The company's project for a mixed-use development in Baghdad, Iraq, which was announced in 2008, is expected to be finalised "this month or next month," according to Al Nowais.

"Iraq is in desperate need to any kind of residential building," he said. The company is negotiating the project with the Iraqi authorities. Al Nowais told Gulf News that Al Maabar will not be looking at committing to new projects, but that the company's primary focus at the moment is to deliver the projects that it has in Morocco, Libya, Jordan and Iraq.

Key market

Al Maabar has defined Jordan as one of the key markets for investments. It's most recent launch was announced yesterday in corporation with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, a hotel and leisure company, for the launch of the first St Regis hotel in Jordan.

Construction on the $300 million project will start in May and it is expected to be ready by 2014.

The development will be made up of two towers, one to include the St Regis and the other to be a high-end brand apartment facility. The St Regis Amman will feature 270 guest rooms, including 91 suites, four restaurants, a café, destination bar, pool and pool bar, fitness centre and signature spa. The mixed-use development project will also include exclusive boutiques.

Around 50 to 55 per cent of the project's investment will be financed by local projects from both Jordan and the UAE, mainly Abu Dhabi.

"Jordan has a lot to offer for foreign investors," Al Nowais said.

Starwood, which manages around 50 hotels in the region, has been doing well. In the past two years, Starwood doubled its footprint with new properties coming up internationally and regionally in Doha and Abu Dhabi.

http://gulfnews.com/business/investment/al-maabar-to-launch-project-on-marsa-zayed-in-jordan-1.743691

Mashallah, looks like a good project. Best of luck to Jordan.

The master plan looks amazing, but the buildings do not have a resort feel or look. They look more like a bunch of office buildings in a big city.

plaese update image

http://www.almaabar.com/docs/downloadable-media-coverage-reports/20110609_mz-media-tour-aqaba-press-coverage-17-may-2011.pdf?sfvrsn=2

الاردن سوف تكون من اروع دول الشرق الاوسط
وخاصة مع هذا المشروع

Developer Al Maabar has appointed a main contractor to build the Al Raha village development - part of its $10bn Marsa Zayed complex in Aqaba, Jordan.

The firm appointed Omar Abu Sa'ad as main contractor to build the Al Raha village neighbourhood under a 26-month contract.

http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-21935-al-maabar-appoints-builder-on-marsa-zayed-scheme/#.UW4gHVdy2T4

Marsa Zayed AlRaha Village flythrough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oy-faHw3EA

Marsa Zayed flythrough in Aqaba-Jordan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH4EgKiXIN4