BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB
DOHA: The United Development Company (UDC), the master developer of the Pearl-Qatar, has announced to open a unique entertainment centre and several new outlets in Qatar’s man-made island in the coming year, according to a senior official of the island.
“UDC plans to open new outlets in the Pearl-Qatar, including at Medina Centrale, which is already on the business track.
“It will have many restaurants, more lifestyle brands and a unique entertainment centre operational by 2015,” said Ali Saeed Al Maliki, Manager, Media Relations, the Pearl-Qatar.
Medina Centrale in the heart of Pearl-Qatar constitutes a significant part of the ambitious project. It is a hub for amenities and facilities, including 600,000 square feet of retail area, 554 residential units, numerous parks and open spaces; the precinct is the largest and most luxurious shopping centre in the island.
The first residents and retailers moved into the island in 2009 and since then Pearl-Qatar has grown steadily in terms of the number of residents and retail outlets.
In addition to about 12,000 residents, the island attracts thousands of visitors and tourists.
It is now home to many coffee shops and cafes as well as renowned luxury brands for men, women and children.
The island boasts about 200 retail outlets covering fine dining, food and beverage, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, banking and other facilities and services.
Today, the island has a thriving community of residents and retailers living and operating mainly at the Porto Arabia precinct, while additional stages of development are in progress.
With the development of major districts (Porto Arabia, Qanat Quartier and Medina Centrale) of the island are completed, more residents will move in and new retail and hospitality outlets will open up.
“The Porto Arabia precinct and those of Medina Centrale and Qanat Quartier have been completed. We now have about 12,000 residents on the island and about 200 retailers, including restaurants and a Spinneys market, open and operational. Expected completion date of all the 10 precincts comprising the island is 2018,” said Al Maliki.
More than 52 nationalities own property on the island. For UDC- owned properties, the number of investors and buyers exceeds 2,000, according UDC.
“Naturally, growth is expected to continue leading to 2022, as would investors’ interest in the island,” he added.
The essence of the Pearl-Qatar project is its design, which depicts the real lifestyle of the Mediterranean communities in Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Portugal.
The UDC has so far completed about 100 percent infrastructure as well as Porto Arabia, Qanat Quartier and Medina Centrale. Construction in all stages, including five-star hotels, is expected by 2018-end.
The Peninsula
