Emaar Properties has set its sights high, with plans to create the big city “buzz” through its development of Downtown Dubai as a vibrant urban district to match New York’s Lower Manhattan, London’s West End and Paris’s Left Bank.
Robert Booth, Emaar Properties’ Executive Director, said Downtown Dubai will equal, if not surpass, some of the globe’s finest downtowns and will further raise Dubai’s towering image across the world.
“Great cities have one thing in common. Great downtowns. And great downtowns translate into great local economies,” Booth said. “People judge cities by their downtowns. It is the city’s heart and soul that the rest of the world looks to in order to understand a community. I’m glad Emaar has once again carried out its mandate of elevating the city’s global image to another level.”
At the heart of Downtown Dubai will be Emaar’s Burj Dubai Development.
Downtown Dubai itself is expected to duplicate the electric 24-hour pace of its counterparts in New York, for example, and will be a working, living and entertainment neighbourhood.
“It is the result of conscious planning, aimed at creating a compact place with a lively mixture of activities. Cities like New York, London, Paris, Sydney have developed their own brand of downtowns which have enhanced their status,” Booth said.
“We have spared no details for the Burj Dubai Development. We’ve taken the best of what great downtowns have to offer, woven it into the Arab context and developed our own unique concept. We’ve put housing, shopping, offices and public gathering places close to one another, allowing residents to walk to work, to shop, to dine, to parks and other public facilities.”
Booth underscored the importance of Downtown Dubai by saying this high-profile area on Sheikh Zayed Road will be the economic and service centre of the city and the country. He said: “You can’t have a metropolitan area unless you have a centre. Downtown Dubai will clearly be a centre of gravity with its concentration of activities, offices, hospitality retail areas and of course the Burj Dubai Development.
“It will be a place for public expression and celebration, and also the place where there will be room for experimentation and innovation. It will be a vibrant tourist attraction and great place for business.
“Burj Dubai embodies the dreams and aspirations of the people of Dubai. It represents the city's determination to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the world.
“Lots of big businesses in Dubai employ the kind of people who want a great downtown somewhere they can go on a Thursday night and have a nice dinner and maybe meet some people. Somewhere where the street is bustling with people who are having fun.” (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
