Arada awards contract for retail hub at Sharjah forested megaproject
SHARJAH, 2 days ago
Leading Sharjah-based developer Arada has awarded the main construction contract for Masaar Central, the retail and lifestyle hub at the heart of its forested megaproject in Sharjah.
Masaar Central will provide a range of retail, dining, wellness, and education services across 53,000 sq ft of gross leasable area, and will be anchored by a Carrefour supermarket, a Wellfit gym, and a Bright Star RGS nursery.
Construction work is scheduled for completion by end-2026, coinciding with the full delivery of the remaining three residential phases of the AED9.5 billion ($2.6 billion) community in the Suyoh district.
Valued at AED60 million, the construction contract to build Masaar Central has been awarded to Intermass, the well-established Sharjah-based contractor, which is already working on several residential phases at Masaar.
Announcing the contract award, Group CEO Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said: "Masaar Central will be the social and retail heart of the community, offering a high-quality, convenient and engaging environment that complements its forested surroundings."
"With half of Masaar already complete, 1,500 homes handed over and a vibrant community taking shape, this contract award brings us closer to completing all elements of the master plan by the end of 2026," he stated.
Spread over a 19 million sq ft area, Masaar features 3,000 villas and townhouses spread across six gated districts, all linked by a green spine featuring 70,000 trees.
Existing elements and facilities within Masaar include the Masaar Discovery Center and a number of family attractions, including a children’s adventure playground, water play area, skate park and Zad food truck park.
The project also contains Reigate Grammar School Masaar, a branch of one of the UK’s top private schools, which is due to open in 2027.
Surrounding the masterplan is Masaar Track, a 6.6-km forested cycleway incorporating bridges and tunnels, which currently welcomes thousands of cyclists every month, while The Loop offers onsite bike rental and repair services alongside a café.
Masaar is ideally located in the up-and-coming Suyoh district, close to Tilal City, the Sharjah Mosque and Arada’s first project, Nasma Residences.
The community has easy access to Emirates Road and Mleiha Road, and is a 15-minute drive from Sharjah International Airport and 20-minute drive from Dubai International Airport.-TradeArabia News Service
