Dubai: Imagine living in a tower, or visiting one, where the building’s lift takes you directly to the Metro? Or having other forms of public transport like buses and taxis at your doorstep?
Union Oasis, an ambitious project announced by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) at a promotional function in Dubai on Wednesday aims to provide just that.
Abdul Reda Abu Al Hassan, Director of Rail Planning and Projects Development of the Rail Agency at the RTA, said the project will be a mixed-use development spanning 19,000 square metres around the Union Metro station where the Metro office site overlooking the Creek stands in Deira.
“It will be the first Trans Oriented Development (TOD) in the region,” he said, explaining that a typical TOD, popular in the West, is designed to maximise access to public transport and encourage transit ridership in a densely populated area.
Making a presentation to potential developers and investors, Khalid Adel Al Monayyer of the RTA said the development is set on the model of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between RTA and a private developer who will be selected in a public tender next year.
He said 137 million passengers use the Metro, of whom 16 million pass through Union Square annually.
“Around 50,000 people use this station every day. Once the TOD is in place, the number will go up as people living in the area will prefer to use only public transport. We assume a 50 per cent reduction in parking requirements in the development.”
The project will comprise high-end residences, service apartments, offices, hotels and retail facilities across five towers with pedestrian-friendly access roads and bridges. Details about the towers’ height or other features were not mentioned.
