Abu Dhabi Unveils Plan for Capital District at Cityscape

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(ABU DHABI, U.A.E.) -- Cityscape Abu Dhabi opened this morning with a visit by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. He was briefed on the massive Capital City District project which will move the center of Abu Dhabi to the north of the existing overcrowded downtown.

"The Capital City District represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a truly authentic and sustainable modern Arab capital," said Falah Al Ahbabi, General Manager of the Urban Planning Council.

Near Abu Dhabi International Airport and Mohammed bin Zayed City, the new city center will feature grand boulevards, shaded streets, open space, and a world class public transport system.

It is planned as a sustainable, mixed-use city for 370,000 residents as well as federal government buildings, major universities, hospitals, embassies and international institutions.

"Abu Dhabi, like other markets, may be feeling the effects of a slowdown but the measured approach to development and the full backing of the government means there are excellent growth prospects and a positive future outlook here in Abu Dhabi," said Rohan Marwaha, Managing Director of the Cityscape exhibitions organized by IIR.

Present at Cityscape are the biggest Abu Dhabi developers including Aldar, Sorouh, Al Qudra, and Hydra. Major developers, architects, and construction companies from Australia, Canada, US, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia are among the exhibitors. Organizers claim Cityscape 2009 is 30 percent bigger than the 2008 version.

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