Fujairah’s Lulu Hypermarket Developing into Shopping Mall

New Shopping Complex
Lulu’s General Manager in Fujairah city, Mr. Asif Moidu Ahmed, believes the time is right for Fujairah to get a big new shopping mall and more supermarket space. He thinks the population growth warrants it and that the increasing number of tourists will also enjoy a shopping mall complex.

Today Mr. Ahmed elaborated on the Lulu Mall and Hypermarket Extension. From the existing Lulu Hypermarket, excavation work, which began three months ago, is almost complete. Currently an enormous cavity extends from the existing building towards the Fujairah International Airport.

Timetable
With a total built up area of 44,500 square meters, this Basement+Ground+1st floor building will be constructed in two phases in order to avoid disruptions to the existing hypermarket. Building work on the project is expected to begin in mid-September 2010 and the opening date is December 2011.

Facilities
The basement will be used for a car park to expand upon the huge parking area that already surrounds the hypermarket.

The ground and first floor will contain the following:
* 100+ shops including chain stores representing popular brands
* An Amusement area for children
* A Cinema with at least two theatres
* A food court

Construction Company
Amana Contracting and Steel Buildings has been awarded the task of construction. This company constructed Ajman’s Lulu Hypermarket in 2003 and is just concluding the construction of the Lulu Hypermarket in Fujairah’s town of Dibba which is due to open in two months just prior to Ramadan.

Hyper-Hypermarket
The existing Fujairah City Lulu Hypermarket, which is to be the flagship for the whole complex, is to undergo a major extension.

The supermarket will double in size and in checkouts—from the current 14 to 28 checkouts.

The existing first floor will also undergo an expansion with a big new area for electronics, clothing and household appliances.

The staff at the Lulu Hypermarket will need to be increased from 300 to 450, meaning many more employment opportunities.

Fujairah Malled
After many calls for Fujairah to have its first shopping mall, there are now at least three malls on the go—the Lulu Mall, the Al Safeer Mall and the Fujairah City Center (which will incorporate a Carrefour supermarket).

Photos
Check out some of the photos taken of the area where the Lulu Mall will be developed. Click on this link.

Further
Plastic Supermarket Bags Slowly Being Replaced by Jute Bags, Fujairah in Focus.
UAE Malls: Shopping the Emirates, Experiencing the Emirates.
Shopping is Super, Hyper and Going Ultra in the UAE, Experiencing the Emirates.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Large Mosque Rising in Fujairah, UAE

Second Largest
The foundations are being dug for what is reputed to become the second largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates.

When finished in the projected 800 days, the mosque won’t quite span the area of the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, nor will it have the elaborate and expensive finish that adorns this largest mosque, located in the UAE’s capital.

Yet this new mosque will become a significant landmark in the city of Fujairah and will take on a cathedral status for the north-eastern emirate. Already Fujairah is known for having the oldest functioning mosque in the UAE, located at Al Bidya.

Cost
The cost of the new mosque is AED 190,500,000.00 or US$ 52.1 million.

Name
The mosque will be called the ‘Sheikh Zayed Mosque’ of Fujairah to commemorate the life and legacy of the ‘father of the nation’. This building is receiving funds from the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation.

Building Team
The new mosque is the project of the Fujairah Ministry of Public Works and is being constructed by the United Engineering Construction which is based in Dubai with offices in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Since 1993 this company has acquired a vast and varied portfolio of large projects including residential towers, residential developments, educational and commercial buildings, hotels, hospitals and libraries.

Over these two decades the UEC has constructed more than six mosques, including the Grand Mosque in Sharjah.

The architects are a Malaysian firm, Arkitek ICB aided by Mabani Consultants.

Size
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque of Fujairah will have an approximate capacity for 28,000 worshippers and will consist of a main prayer hall and an external open courtyard for prayer.

Style
Judging by the architect’s impression (pictured) this new mosque will be distinguished by its large number of domes and in this regard it will be like the large mosque in Turkey.

Central Location
The mosque is being built on prime real estate behind the high rise buildings on the left of the main street as one approaches Fujairah from Dubai or Sharjah.

The land is bordered by Moh’d Bin Matar, Al Ittihad and Al Salam roads and is opposite the Al Bustan Function Hall.

See Location on Google Maps


View Sheikh Zayed Mosque of Fujairah in a larger map

Check out the Progress at the Twenty Day Mark

Further
See Video of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, ETE.
Turning Mosques in Malls into Multi-Faith Facilities in UAE, ETE.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: An artistic impression of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque of Fujairah (image thanks to United Engineering Construction).