Sharjah gets Dh3 billion car-free project
The Alef Group has launched the emirate’s first fully walkable community — the Dh3 billion Al Mamsha. Zone 1 will comprise 33 mixed-use buildings.
The Alef Group on Tuesday launched its Dh3 billion Al Mamsha development — a mixed-use project that will further enliven Sharjah’s residential, retail, tourism and leisure sectors.
Al Mamsha is Sharjah’s first fully walkable community, with ample sidewalks and walkways complemented by plenty of greenery and open spaces. The project is divided into three zones. Prices for a studio apartment will start from Dh287,000.
Spread out across three million square feet, the project will have a built-up area of 9.3 million sqft, in addition to ground retail areas totalling around 500,000 square feet. Al Mamsha’s Zone 1 will comprise 33 mixed-use buildings that combine retail and residential spaces.
“At Alef Group, we are committed to bringing to Sharjah designed lifestyle experiences inspired by global trends and local needs,” said Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Alef group chairman. “Al Mamsha offers a modern lifestyle that caters to all segments of society in terms of accommodation, leisure and retail.”
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the launch, Issa Ataya, MD of Alef Group, said: “Currently, we are looking at four-and-a-half years of construction, with the first batch of seven buildings in Zone 1 being ready for handover in the last quarter of 2019. After that, we are looking at a schedule that allows us to be ready with a batch of five buildings every three to four months. We have two more zones planned, and we expect those two zones combined to add another 33 buildings to the development. Unlike the first zone, the other two zones will have a different use.”
Asked if the location of the project, right next to the Al Zahia community, had any impact on the prices for the units, Ataya noted that the company did factor in competition into its strategy.
“Because of our proximity to the Al Zahia City Centre, we are designing a different type of retail experience that will complement the Al Zahia offerings. We will be focusing more on the lifestyle side of retail offerings, as well as leisure and F&B experiences. We have envisioned Al Mamsha as a tourism destination that will attract a growing number of visitors each year. We also have plans for the development of hotels to cater to visitors, both international and from the region.”
“The property market in Sharjah is getting better, and we are very positive about the direction in which it is headed. In general, our prices are maintained slightly below that of competition. However, just because our prices are lower than our direct competition, it does not mean that we are compromising on the quality of our product,” he added.
Speaking on the importance of connectivity around the new development, Ataya said: “As a developer, we designed accessibility very carefully after having done several traffic studies on the surrounding areas. We also looked at traffic projections that were gathered by experts to better coordinate with the Sharjah RTA, so that we would end up with flawless accessibility in and out of the project.”
Alef Group has set up a dedicated sales centre for the development at the Hilton Hotel in Sharjah. Jamal Al Shawish, director of leasing and sales at Alef Group, revealed that the sales centre would offer convenient payment plans alongside mortgage facilities with easy financing options for both end-users and investors.
“Sales will be open for everyone and at competitive prices that will cater to all generations,” Al Shawish said. “Mobilisation has already commenced onsite, so we are well underway.” Detailing the offerings, he said units range from studios, 1-bed, 2-beds and 3-beds, in addition to duplexes and penthouses featuring wide terraces and private gardens. The car-free development offers a range of services and amenities which are new to Sharjah that include dedicated basement parking facilities for residential and retail. Cars will only be parked on the basement levels, with visitors and residents using vertical transportation means such as elevators and escalators to get access to retail or residential floors.