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Dh950 Million Housing Facility for 5,000 Workers Opening in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI - Over 5,000 construction workers, who are creating Abu Dhabi’s multi-billion dollar cultural district on Saadiyat Island will stay in a Dh950 million, modern housing facility to be inaugurated in April by the master developer Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC).

Saadiyat Construction Village’, situated on Saadiyat Island, the signature 27 square-kilometre leisure, residential and cultural destination island adjacent to Abu Dhabi, TDIC’s, will set a new benchmark for the standard of accommodation and facilities provided for construction workers.

“The first accommodation cluster in phase one of Saadiyat Construction Village opens April 2009 and will house 5,000 construction workers in facilities that match or exceed international standards for personal space, public utilities and leisure and recreation facilities,” said Lee Tabler, chief executive officer of TDIC.

“By July, the three additional clusters of phase one will be opened accommodating an additional 15,000 workers and we have the potential to add clusters in the future to accommodate a total of 40,000 workers when required.”

Investment in Saadiyat Construction Village’s first phase will total Dh950 million and includes halls of residence, dining areas catering to a multitude of ethnic tastes, sports and leisure amenities, shops, internet booths, recreational parks and other facilities.

“The construction village is situated on the beach to the south of the island and has extensive landscaped areas with parks, tennis courts, basketball courts and a cricket pitch,” added Tabler.

“One of the core rationales behind the decision for the village is to foster a sense of home and community for the workers on the island.”

Saadiyat Construction Village was master-planned by Singapore’s award-winning Surbana Corporation Pte Ltd., which has 45 years of township planning and development experience, and has taken 12 months planning and construction.

The village buildings are designed with significant environmental considerations including the installation of an energy-efficient cooling system.

“By committing to building this village, TDIC is fulfilling its pledge to deliver best practice across every element of its operations,” said Tabler.

He said that in matching and in some areas, exceeding international living standards for workers accommodation, the company is also delivering on the promise of respect which is at the core of the Abu Dhabi brand.”

haseebhaider@khaleejtimes.com