Middle East 5

Burj Dubai soars to Dh13,000 per sq.ft.

The cost of a square foot in some parts of the Burj Dubai has increased to Dh13,000.

Prices in the world's highest tower, which is due to open by the end of 2009, start at Dh 10,000 per sq ft compared to Dh 4,000 just a few months ago.

The Burj Dubai's biggest competitor in terms of price is the Palm Trump International Hotel and Tower, where the square foot rate recently topped Dh12,500.

The Palm Jumeirah has retained first place in terms of returns as the rate has risen to more than 600 per cent over the past six years.

Some villas that were sold for Dh2.6m five years ago have recently attracted offers of more than Dh13m. Meanwhile record amounts are being paid in developments such as Business Bay, the Lagoons and Culture Village areas.

Office units in Business Bay saw a big demand from traders who buy large areas and resell them at an average profit margin of up to 80 per cent. The price of office units in Business Bay range currently from Dh 1,200 to more than Dh 2,600 per sq ft. The price of one built-up square foot in Jumeirah Village ranges from Dh 680 to Dh 1,000, while the price of each built-up square foot in areas where 10-storey buildings can be constructed has gone up substantially.

Dubai Waterfront, Downtown Jebel Ali and International City are seeing increases in prices.

At 636 metres, the Burj Dubai is now the world's tallest man-made structure, having recently surpassed the 628.8m KVLY-TV mast in the United States.

Developer Emaar has not disclosed the tower's final height but it is expected to be in the range of 700m to 1,000m. Some reports say the final height will be 818m, an estimate based on architectural designs published on the internet.

The Burj Dubai is the most important part of the Dh20 billion Downtown Burj Dubai project, which includes 30,000 apartments, nine hotels, 6.2 acres of car parking, 19 residential towers, Dubai Mall and a 30-acre artificial lake.

The Trump Tower, located on The Palm Jumeirah, is regarded as the most luxurious commercial building in Dubai.

It will be the centrepiece building on the Golden Mile, located on the trunk of the Palm.

Initially the tower was shaped like an opening golden tulip, but in April 2006 its design was changed to feature a split linked tower with an open core design.

The 48-storey mixed-use building will have a 300-room five-star hotel and 360 freehold residential apartments. The amenities will include exclusive access to a private beach and yacht club with tennis courts, gym and fitness centre, pools and gardens.

The ambitious Dh2.2bn project is the first joint venture between Nakheel.

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