An urban oasis

An urban oasis Staff Reporter / 3 July 2013 The Municipality of Abu Dhabi on Tuesday announced yet another mega project — downtown fusion of an Arabian oasis and modern steel and glass structure — in the heart of the capital city. The municipal department said the urban oasis will offer improved community services and combine retail and recreational facilities, together with parking in Sector E6, between Hamdan Street and Khalifa Street and between Eastern Road and Street 10, in a built-up part of the city. It will be the first in a series of urban oasis developments that the municipality is planning. “The innovative design of this new project will enable the municipality to address the needs to provide a wide range of public facilities in a constrained and highly populated location. The green space and recreational and retail facilities will enhance the image of the city and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, while at the same time reducing traffic congestion and boost car parking,” said Rashed bin Ali Al Omaira, Advisor Investments and Assets for the General Manager’s Office at the department. The Municipality of Abu Dhabi will formally invite private sector bids in the coming weeks to deliver the two-phased project, which will span an area of 19,000sqm using a build-own-transfer (BOT) model. A benchmark study undertaken by the municipality highlighted that the densely populated Sector E6 area could be enhanced further by adding 3,000sqm of leisure, education and sport facilities. The sector is home to more than 13,000 residents living in around 2,600 apartments, making the area very congested. nissar@khaleejtimes.com   Taylor Scott International