Omniyat Group: Visionary builders, landmark projects

Riding high on the success of its iconic projects like The Pad, The Sterling, One at Palm and Anwa, Dubai-based Omniyat Group has carved a niche for itself as a trendsetter in offering unmatched luxury and the ultimate urban lifestyle for connoisseurs of fine living, writes Rajesh Kulkarni.

Established in 2005 and headquartered in Dubai, UAE, the Omniyat Group is a privately held real estate development and service-related group. The company is widely considered as the most innovative, successful and premium development brand in the Gulf region, conceptualizing and creating real estate assets with a combined gross realization of over AED 6 Billion.

Led by its dynamic and visionary executive chairman and CEO, Mr. Mahdi Amjad, the Group undertakes investment, development and asset management across a broad spectrum of property assets, providing sustained value and tangible, measurable benefits to all stakeholders involved, including shareholders, buyers and the community.

Omniyat's global, experienced and multi-disciplinary team is one of the best in the industry. They have the unique capability of identifying and capitalizing on real estate, retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in the Middle East when and wherever they exist. The company has a reputation for working with the world's best known and most respected architects, specialty consultants and contractors to develop and launch large-scale and iconic properties.

In a glittering portfolio of outstanding real estate projects spread across the UAE, the group has its name etched on several iconic properties. One among them is The Sterling, a gleaming twin-tower project in the prestigious Burj Khalifa district.

According to Mark Phoenix, MD, Omniyat group, this distinguished project consists of two striking towers that feature intelligent architecture and crafted interiors that have an identity of their own. The towers are designed to allow owners to indulge in an ultimate urban lifestyle experience, the connoisseurs of fine living who accept nothing but perfection.

Steve Leung, the internationally acclaimed interior designer, is the mastermind behind The Sterling's interiors. His design concepts pervade every part, from the grand entrances to corridors and apartments. Both towers bear the stamp of Steve and his team's aesthetic vision.

At the Cityscape Global 2014 Expo, the group unveiled three distinguished mega-projects worth AED 3.5 billion. The group's prime showpiece at the event was  the 'One at Palm Jumeirah', a landmark joint project in collaboration with Drake & Scull International; while the other two prestigious projects are located on prime plots in Dubai.

The One at Palm project at Jumeirah is a global collaborative effort involving Soma of New York, Super Potato of Japan and Vladimir of Lebanon. The building will offer 360-degree breathtaking views, with apartment sizes ranging from 2,500 to 20,000 square feet. The project is on par with the company earlier iconic projects like The Opus and The Pad which generated an overwhelming response at the international level.

The company's two other projects unveiled at the expo included the Dhs 600 mn Anwa, a new project in Dubai's Maritime City will has been conceived as an imposing landmark that will be Omniyat's gift to visitors approaching Dubai by sea, while the third project will be a spectacular twin tower in Downtown Dubai in the vicinity of The Dubai Mall.

One of the world's most exciting seafront developments that will stand out as the guiding star of Dubai and will also be visible from the sea in Dubai Maritime City, Anwa will have 53 mixed-use projects, hotels, shopping malls, restaurants and 10 fascinating parks.

Located right next to the Marina and the beautiful boardwalk, Anwa is positioned on the same strip as the Four Seasons and the Bulgari hotels. It offers residential apartments, all with sea views, some with two-sided views of Deira Islands and Jumeirah.

Principally located towards the east of Dubai between Port Rashid and Dubai Dry Docks, Dubai Maritime City is situated in close proximity to Jumeirah Beach Road (1km), Sheikh Zayed Road (3km), and the Dubai International Airport (10km). It is just 15 minutes away from Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

Featuring sweeping views of the ocean from every floor, Anwa by Omniyat will be dressed to perfection, offering 225 units, incorporating 29 studios, 80 one-bedroom, 87 two-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom apartments, 1 penthouse and 5 townhouses. It will also have 8,133 sq ft of retail area as well as landscaped gardens, gymnasium, infinity pool, kids' pool and play area and barbeque area.

Not surprisingly, the project registered Dhs 432 million in sales, selling an impressive 81 per cent of its units in less than a week of its opening the sales for the project in December last year. Following the overwhelming response during the two-day launch sales, and to cater to the high demand from investors, the group was forced to extend the period by two more days. The project is scheduled to be handed over by the first quarter of 2016.

More recently in May this year, the company crossed another milestone when it received the Building Completion Certificate for The Binary, its third completed project in Business Bay. The project, which will add almost 500,000 square feet of commercial and retail space to Dubai, is now ready for handover.

Located at a vantage point opposite The Opus in Dubai's Business Bay along the upcoming Dubai Creek development, the Binary boasts majestic views of Burj Khalifa, the creek and the Meydan Hotel. Reflecting Omniyat's philosophy to create structures with a distinct visual identity, the exterior façade of the statuesque commercial tower is inspired by the binary code.

Speaking on the occasion Mahdi Amjad, Executive Chairman and CEO said, "We are committed to Dubai's vision of leading by design. Our newest commercial project - The Binary - is a perfect example of marrying functionality with bespoke form at the heart of Dubai's prime locale.

"The completion of The Binary brings to life the evolving vision of Omniyat and sets the stage for exciting developments in the pipeline," he added. "It also gives us the opportunity to share this vision with the city that has served as the inspiration for our ambitious plans."

The handover of The Binary pegs the value of Omniyat's ready projects at over AED3 billion, with an additional AED9 billion worth of projects currently under development bringing the total to AED12 billion. These have been designed to articulate the developer's focus on generating superior value proposition and yielding high returns.

Commenting on the immediate market uptake to The Binary, Mark Phoenix, the group's MD said, "The Binary is completely sold and the offices are ready to be leased. Its location opposite Omniyat's upcoming project - The Opus by Zaha Hadid, which will feature a ME by Melia Hotel - will ensure that the property appreciates in value to command a premium of 20-25 per cent over the market average for Business Bay."

The building interiors boast an awe-inspiring four-storey lobby that offers access to sleek and well-illuminated public areas embellished with high quality gilding, as well as private alcoves and state-of-the-art offices.

The 29-floor structure comprises two connected 21-storey and 24-storey towers sitting above five podium levels, offering unique amenities including 15 ground floor retail shops and three basement levels with 1,218 parking bays. Taking advantage of its superb location, the double-tower structure maximizes the waterside view and is conveniently serviced by seven elevators, a concierge, prayer rooms and washroom facilities in the main foyer.

The retail areas, upon completion of fit outs, will include cafes, restaurants, master chocolatier, florist, convenience store, pharmacy, and banks. Both tenants and visitors will be able to enjoy a complete business eco-system, crafted as the city's new center point for meetings, shopping and entertainment.

The entire development is comprehensively managed by Omniyat's Property Services Team, offering ultimate convenience to tenants and guaranteed return on investment to owners.