Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties has launched Saadiyat Grove, a new luxury retail and fine-dining project that will feature more than 100 global brands, aimed at boosting the island's lifestyle offerings.
The site is between Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Louvre Abu Dhabi in the Saadiyat Cultural District, Aldar said in a statement on Friday. Saadiyat Grove will feature retail, signature dining, luxury hotels, wellness and longevity centres, homes and premium office space.
The project, set to include “20 new-to-region concepts”, will have brands such as Audemars Piguet, Brunello Cucinelli, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chaumet, Dior, Fendi, James Perse, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Valentino and Van Cleef & Arpels, Aldar said. Saadiyat Grove will also feature Japanese culture shop Beams.
Saadiyat Grove will also introduce new-to-market F&B concepts, including an Alain Ducasse Cafe, French brasserie Monsieur Paul, as well as Kokoro Handroll Bar and Momofuku, part of the restaurant group founded by chef David Chang in New York City.
It will also include Abu Dhabi’s first Time Out Market, which will feature a handpicked selection of home-grown dining outlets across 16 kitchens, including the region’s first Time Out Cafe. Next door at Louvre Residences Abu Dhabi, dining options will include Alica Deli, Barrafina, Gymkhana, Le Palais, Magma and Zephyr.
It is set to open in the fourth quarter of this year.
“Saadiyat Grove is a centrepiece in our strategy to position Saadiyat Island, and Abu Dhabi more broadly, as a premier global destination for culture-led living, tourism and investment,” said Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of Aldar.
Saadiyat Grove will house 25,000 square metres of premium office space in four Grade-A buildings. This will connect to a luxury hotel, Aldar said.
The residential offering will include Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences, Baccarat Residences Saadiyat and The Arthouse, with more than 1,000 homes set to be handed over in the “coming months”.
The project will also feature a 2,200 sq m executive club, connected to the retail section, which will have private offices, boardrooms and member lounges, with concierge service and hospitality.
It will also feature Saadiyat Forum, a 7,000 sq m space for culture, hospitality and luxury offerings, as well as a cinema.
Other features include a 2,000 sq m gym run by BXR, a London-based luxury fitness brand backed by boxer Anthony Joshua, and a wellness centre and longevity clinic.
The new project “will help establish luxury retail as a significant new pillar of Abu Dhabi's economy”, said Talal Al Dhiyebi, group chief executive of Aldar.
Saadiyat Grove will “further elevate Abu Dhabi’s retail proposition and unlock significant economic growth opportunities by catalysing private-sector investment, expanding visitor spend and creating jobs”, Aldar added.
The latest launch comes as Abu Dhabi continues to expand Saadiyat Island as a major cultural, residential and tourism destination, with a growing concentration of museums, hospitality and residential projects.
Earlier this month, Aldar launched a development of 778 homes across six buildings in Saadiyat Cultural District.
Sei Saadiyat will consist of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as two-bedroom lofts. The project is designed around wellness, relaxation, fitness and restorative living, the developer said.
Aldar also plans to unveil more projects in the second half of the year, focusing on the luxury and middle-income segments, it said in July.
Aldar’s group development backlog reached Dh71.6 billion ($19.49 billion) at the end of June, including Dh59.9 billion in the UAE, which is expected to drive the company's revenue recognition over the next two to three years.
