Work on Dubai Festival City's impressive 'urban retail resort', Festival Centre, is on track for the grand opening in autumn 2006.
Buoyed by the successful opening of the first phase in November 2005, which saw the launch of the UAE's largest IKEA at the site, Festival Centre will open its doors to the public as scheduled.
"Substructure and superstructure activities are currently approaching completion with the installation of the Feature Roofs and Structural Steel elements well under way," explained Phil McArthur, Director Leasing & Marketing, Dubai Festival City. "Services installation works are proceeding throughout, as are the finishes works to the basement car park areas. We are now moving into the finishing phase of the main retail mall which will continue in parallel with the tenants' fit-out activities that will commence in the New Year."
To ensure that the project remains on track, construction programmes are being continually assessed to identify opportunities to improve the methodology, and sequencing of the works.
Careful consideration has also been taken to ensure that the on-going construction does not cause any disruption to the already opened retail and community elements.
"To ensure the public are safeguarded from construction activity, the Dubai Festival City road network has been designed and implemented in such a way to allow unrestricted public access and parking, whilst ensuring construction traffic and activity is segregated from the completed facilities such as IKEA and the schools," said McArthur.
"This allows for a positive customer experience as well as allowing construction to continue unhindered."
At present, 4,500 workers are involved in the construction of Festival Centre with the number likely to rise to over 8,500 as the project nears completion.
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© Press Release 2006
