Business & Money | Monday 2 March, 2015 10:49 am |

- Majid Al Futtaim and the Sharjah Government share details of their first joint residential community in the UAE

- Al Zahia – Sharjah’s first-ever mixed use gated community – diversifying Sharjah’s real estate sector


– Sharjah Holding, a strategic partnership between Majid Al Futtaim and the Government of Sharjah, today shared details on Al Zahia, Sharjah’s first-ever gated mixed use community – signalling not only another first in many milestones, but also a new era for residential community living in Sharjah.

Al Zahia – owned by Sharjah Holding and managed by Majid Al Futtaim Properties – embodies Sharjah’s traditional values in a progressive and contemporary setting while offering homeowners a safe and secure community. By bringing together international ideals of living with Sharjah's deep-rooted family and cultural values, Al Zahia is truly a comprehensively designed integrated community offering a well-rounded lifestyle.

Al Zahia compromises a blend of modern and traditional designs with a range of 3, 4 and 5-bedroom townhouses and villas, in addition to studios, and 1 and 2 -bedroom apartments. The community also provides boutique villas catering to the commercial needs of the Sharjah business sector.

Forty nine homeowners have already taken possession of their new properties with the upcoming new release of homes which is underway, marking construction of another 197 units to be completed by Q2 2016.

The Al Zahia community is ideally situated between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed and University City roads, close to Sharjah University City and Sharjah International Airport, with major road links to Dubai and the Northern Emirates. It will ultimately be home to over 12,000 residents and span a total area of around 1,300,000sqm.

Waleed Al Hashimi, CEO of Sharjah Holding, said: “By transforming the mixed use real estate sector in Sharjah, Al Zahia gives momentum to the Government’s vison and drive to diversify Sharjah’s real estate sector –improving the emirate’s positioning as a preferred investment destination, as well as an ideal place for community living.”

Al Zahia marks the only gated community to date in the emirate to meet the continuously rising demand, both locally and regionally, for integrated lifestyles that combine modernity, privacy, convenience and safe living.

Bader Hareb, Chief Property Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Properties – Communities, said: today’s modern families do not simply want to live in a home but “they want to live in diverse, amenity-rich neighbourhoods that can accommodate their modern lifestyle; where they can live, work, play and even learn in the same place.

“The significant trend in consumer demand for living communities clearly indicates a bright future for mixed use integrated communities that are designed to attract families looking for an affinity lifestyle accompanied with modern luxury, peace of mind, and a guaranteed convenient way of living”.

According to Hareb, people in gated communities typically take better care of their home. “This transforms into an added value for the property over the longer term, tying in perfectly with Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ focus on creating sustainable living environments designed for life-long value,” he said.

Al Zahia phase three comprises 101 Villas with up to 5-bedrooms and 132 Townhouses with up to 3 and 4-bedrooms. The villas offer a choice of a traditional or modern style, with a variety of layouts sizes, and high-quality finishes providing the space and luxury of back gardens and generous plot sizes, whereas the townhouses are designed for families who are keen on enjoying an integrated community offering and lifestyle.

Al Zahia, which echoes Majid Al Futtaim’s vision, namely ‘creating great moments for everyone, everyday’, will generate a 10-year large-scale employment benefit during the construction phase. Subsequently, it is not only supplying significant jobs for the people living in the emirate, but the development is also stimulating the local economy. As such, Al Zahia’s estimated contribution to the Sharjah economy is anticipated to reach around AED 5Billion.

Specialising in community-oriented developments, Sharjah Holding can lay claim to being first in transforming the emirate’s mixed use real estate sector having accomplished great success with the introduction of Matajer outlets, being the community’s first award winning neighbourhood malls in Sharjah.

Other community “living environments” by Majid Al Futtaim include The Wave in Muscat Oman, and Waterfront City in Beirut, Lebanon.