Al Nemer: Modern lifestyles demand large-scale mixed-use developments

Mr. Mohammed Hussein Abdullah Al Nemer, Awali Real Estate Investments board member and Chief Marketing Officer, believes that the rise of the mega project in the UAE property sector is attributable to a number of different factors that combine to create both the demand and the ideal platform for large-scale community developments, as opposed to the smaller, single-purpose developments of the past.

In UAE, particularly in Ajman, the healthy, growing economy attract larger numbers of new residents each year, creating a knock-on effect in the real estate sector, with demand increasing for high quality residential and commercial projects. And along with these demands come demands for convenience, luxury, exclusivity and integrated community services, all of which people have come to expect from a modern lifestyle.

"The growing trend toward larger, more comprehensive developments is a logical progression from the traditional, smaller projects whose purposes have generally been rather single-faceted. The mega projects we see being erected today, however, are of a far more diverse nature, with a tendency to include a great deal more than simply residential or office space. Instead, the inclusion of a variety of services and facilities in a single development provides a secure and convenient environment in which people are able to time-manage their lives, work and play,"

Al Nemer says.

Mega-sized, mixed-use developments not only cater to the essential requirements for modern living, but also play a vital role in the sustained development of the region's economy, as the sheer volume of development required is not only indicative of the vastness of the market, but also a major contributor to its growth in terms of job creation.

Al Nemer also points out that, these days, even the single building high-rise developments, generally include retail and/or leisure facilities as well as the residential or office units they are primarily being built to provide. "Furthermore," says Al Nemer, "With the amount of development we're seeing across the country, more and more new projects are being developed in outlying areas. It makes sense, then, to provide these areas with their own infrastructures, not only for the sake of convenience, but also as a measure to alleviate the pressure on existing metropolitan resources and to avoid exerting additional pressure on the region's existing roads infrastructure."

It seems, then, that these mammoth projects, many of which have captured the imagination of millions worldwide, are quite possibly a model of our future.