SODIC to showcase its portfolio of projects at Cityscape Dubai 2008

SODIC is gearing up for a strong presence at Cityscape Dubai 2008, where it occupies stand PJ 10 at Hall number 7 of the exhibition centre.

During the four-day event, the Egypt-based property developer will present its range of development projects in Greater Cairo - including 'Kattameya Plaza' and the award-winning 'Allegria'.

In addition to these developments, SODIC, along with Solidere International, will introduce at Cityscape two of its largest projects yet - the Westown Cairo and Eastown Cairo mixed-use city centres.

Massive in scale and worth a combined EGP25bn, Westown and Eastown are designed on the lines of a self-sustaining city-within-a-city, and are both positioned to become the urban centres in Cairo's western and eastern suburbs, respectively.

The Westown and Eastown Cairo projects are developed jointly by SODIC and Solidere International, who bring their expertise and proven track record in city-making, urban design and master-planning.

Commenting on the company's participation at the exhibition, Maher Maksoud, CEO of SODIC, said, "As the region's largest property investment and development exhibition, Cityscape Dubai provides us an unrivalled opportunity to reach out to a broad and high-potential audience. We hope to leverage the show's platform to present our portfolio of projects, in particular the Westown and Eastown developments, to regional and international investors attending the exhibition."

"As a property developer committed to creating people-focused real estate developments, SODIC constantly strives to create value for our customers and investors by providing them a cosmopolitan urban environment to live and work in, complemented by all the services and conveniences of modern life," Maksoud added.

Designed as mixed-use city centres, Westown and Eastown will be the largest integrated business and residential community in Egypt, providing for all aspects and requirements of a typical flourishing society. Westown will help make Cairo's western suburbs of Sixth Of October / Sheikh Zayed City more sustainable; similarly, Eastown will provide the urban heart for the Kattameya / New Cairo suburb to the capital's east.

"Westown and Eastown are self-sufficient urban centres that will dramatically change the face of Cairo," said Mounib Hammoud, Chief Operations Officer of Solidere International. "Solidere, with its proven skills in city-making, is uniquely positioned to execute projects of this scale; we look forward to working closely with SODIC as we together seek to transform Cairo into a world-class residential, business and leisure destination."

Situated off the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, Westown consists of a fully integrated mixed-use city centre. It will include five residential neighbourhoods with a variety of apartment types as well as a state-of-the-art office park comprising more than 3,000 office units.

Westown offers a wide range of residential options from luxury penthouses to quaint lofts; the apartments range from the ultra-modern, with streamlined finishes and contemporary layout, to classic designs fitted with the latest amenities. The project will be home to several world-class hotels, offering over 2,400 rooms and serviced flats aimed at business and leisure travellers.

Westown is built on 1.2 million square meters of land and will have a built-up area of 2.4 million square meters, with a projected population of 48,000. SODIC and Solidere are investing EGP15bn to develop Westown.

Eastown is strategically situated on Road 90, in the heart of the New Cairo / Kattameya suburb, and is only a short drive from Cairo International Airport. The EGP10bn project comprises an assortment of residential, commercial and hotel towers, and will contain a wide selection of shops and high-end retail outlets grouped in the form of a car-free high street. Eastown is structured around two axes - the commercial and high-street shopping area of Central Avenue, and the Green Spine, with the axes converging in a large public square in Eastown's entertainment district. One of the main advantages of Eastown is its adjacency to AUC's new campus, and proximity to some 37 other educational establishments. Both Eastown and Westown will feature an array of cultural and entertainment attractions.