Doors open for Reem Island buyers in Abu Dhabi

The developer of Marina Square on Reem Island has received completion certificates from the Abu Dhabi Government on four buildings, clearing the way for buyers to start taking possession of their units.
The approvals were granted on three residential buildings and a commercial tower, according to a statement by Tamouh, the master developer of the project. Certificates are expected in the next two months for the other nine towers that have been completed, the company said.
Tamouh has already started handing over the first buildings to the owners, said Samia Bouazza, the marketing director of Tamouh. It will be up to the investment groups that own each building to arrange for handovers of individual units, she said.
Marina Square covers 26.7 hectares and will eventually include 13 residential towers, a hotel, marina and a shopping mall.
Marina Square - and the Sun and Sky Towers, which were developed by Sorouh - are the first projects to be completed on Reem Island. But handover of the projects has been delayed, reportedly due to issues with government permits.
The majority of the construction on the residential blocks, apartments and supporting community facilities in the first phase of Marina Square was completed in June last year, the developer said.
Tamouh announced last March it planned to begin handing over units in Marina Square in May last year. Then in August it again announced it expected to begin handovers within a few weeks.
"New demands from the authorities placed further pressure on the developers to complete the necessary formalities for obtaining the building completion certificates," said Joe Ong, the managing director of Tamouh.
"Complex levels of clearance from several government departments such as the Civil Defence and Abu Dhabi Municipality" were required before final completion certificates could be issued, Tamouh said yesterday.
The additional regulations were "set by the authority to ultimately ensure that the buildings meet all required conditions and international standards", Mr Ong said.
kbrass@thenational.ae