The MAG 218--A Brief History

MAG 218 Timeline:

• 06 November 2004: Project announced in news publications.
  
• 18 December 2004: Concept drawings completed.
  
• 11 March 2005: Official launch announced.
  
• 15 March 2005: Official launch party held at the Burj Al Arab.
  
• 30 April 2005: Scale model put on display.
  
• 28 August 2005: Re-design of tower completed.
  
• 12 November 2005: "Re-launch" sales campaign initiated.
  
• 26 December 2005: Piling contractor announced--Arabian Forasol.

Word of a new MAG PDD project began surfacing in the last quarter of 2004. MAG 214 in the Jumeirah Lake Towers development had already been launched. The new 218 tower would be built in the Dubai Marina. A November 6, 2004 Gulf News article reported,

MAG Group will shortly launch a 55-storey development at Dubai Marina. Featuring 534 units, the promoters expect an average sale price of Dh800 a square foot for the MAG 218 tower. Completion is set for the third quarter of 2007.

Initial concept images were completed on 18 December, 2004. These provided both interior and exterior views of the tower.

The intial project launch finally took place in March 2005. 11 March news reports provided more detail:

Moafaq Al Gaddah Group launched its latest project, MAG 218 Tower at the Dubai Marina recently. Officials said the value of the 66-storey luxury residential project is estimated at more than Dh350 million. Dar Al Handasah, who designed the project, has been appointed project management consultant. Asteco has been named sales and marketing agents and Amlak will support the buyers with mortgage finance. Mohammad Nimer, director of MAG Group's property development department, told Gulf News that construction will begin in July. "We expect to choose the main contractor by July after a tendering process. The project is scheduled for completion in 32 months," he said.

Shortly thereafter an official launch ceremony was held at the Burj Al Arab:

MAG Property Development Department which is a part of MAG Group of Companies held a dinner party at Burj Al Arab to launch their latest project: MAG 218 Tower in Dubai Marina... The event was attended by high-profile businessmen specialized in the real estate business.

The launch was followed with an ad campaign:

   
Within a month sales catalogs were also released. By the end of April MAG PDD had teamed up with Asteco to hold a showing of its tower with a newly constructed scale model. Several news sources publicized this event:

Asteco, real estate and property management company will present a model for the MAG218 project, the 55-storey tower with 550-apartments to be built within the Dubai Marina on April 30 and May 1 at its head office in Capricorn Tower, Shaikh Zayed Road... Asteco consultants will be available to introduce the new project, which takes its name from the 27-year-old Moafaq Gaddah Group (MAG)... MAG218 will be completed by the first quarter of 2008, and the consultancy Dar Al Handash is already working on the building's design plans.

Reports for when the tower would be complete began to vary. In November 2004 a completion date of 3rd quarter 2007 was suggested. In the March 11 press release a start date of July 2005 was suggested with project completion in 32 months--by February 2008. This would remain consistent with later estimates of a 1st quarter 2008 date of completion.

In July 2005, however, construction did not begin nor was a main contractor selected. More press reports, however, were published. MAG PDD general manager Mohammed Nimer was interviewed by Colin Foreman for ITP Construction:

(Saturday, 23 July, 2005) MAG’s Commitment to Quality Real Estate:  What are the origins of the MAG Group?  The company was originally founded in the UAE in 1978, dealing in car parts, batteries and tyres...

The interview revealed a lot about MAG's stated commitment to quality and delivering the product promised--a theme elaborted on further in a later November 2005 interview. Mr. Nimer went on to say that the concept design had been finished and work was being done on the "detailed design." This work would finally be completed on 28 August with an updated design adding balconies to the two-bedroom units.

This was the last report on the MAG 218 published in the general media for the remainder of 2005. This dearth of reporting, however, would be made up for by the persistence of the MAG 218 Community website in gathering further detail about the project from web forums and ultimately through direct communications with the developer. The result of these efforts was a 12 November Interview with the general manager. In it, Mohammed Nimer offered a number of assurances. Regarding quality control he asserted,

I want to be sure that you’ll have it and you will be satisfied with it from all aspects, like time-wise, quality-wise, service-after-sale wise, which is very important for us… All of this will help us in promoting ourselves… This is a guarantee—other than the contract, other than all the insurance we are giving you; but more assurance is our name.

That being said, there were continued delays in the start of construction and the announcement of any contractors. The start date was moved from July to August, August to October and finally October to January. The first year since announcement of the MAG 218 project ends with a piling contractor having just been announced.

Having set targets of 100 new units being sold by year-end MAG PDD launched a major new advertising campaign in November. Spending over Dhs 800,000 the company released full-page news ads and hung banners from city flyovers. It also enlisted the efforts of other sales agents, having abrogated its working relationship on the project with Asteco earlier in the year.

A perusal of the MAG 218 Community site and associated pages will reveal the full extent of activities and developments on the MAG 218 project. The year was characterized by high anticipation at the launch of a new, distinctive tower for the Dubai Marina. Delayed progress, however, on the awarding of a contract and start of construction tempered some of the enthusiasm. The year 2006 will once again set into play hopes for a year of steady progress on the construction front.

Go to MAG 218 Community homepage, Dubai Marina Communities or DM Blog.

27 January 2006, MAG 218 Community Event

This event represents an ideal opportunity to view developments within the Dubai Marina, get to know other purchasers, visit the MAG 218 site, speak with the project manager and find out more about the Dubai property scene through exhibits and seminars. It will be a unique chance to participate in both recreational and informational activities.



The cost of Dhs 150 per person will cover boat fees and lunch. This amount may be adjusted later in light of greater or lesser participation. Participants may have to add taxi fare from the Dubai Marina to the Madinat Jumeirah if car pools cannot be arranged.

The Home Owner Dubai show on 27 January will run from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Participants may decide individually the times and exhibits or seminars they will view or take part in. Online Pre-registration is required and participants are asked to submit their registration number and a business card on arrival at the venue.

The Friday Evening Street Fairs represents an additional option that participants may freely take advantage of. It will be going on within the Madinat Jumeirah complex at approximately the same time as the Home Owners show.

This event is open to anyone interested in the MAG 218 project or any of the other scheduled activities.

Please RSVP by Friday, 20 January 2006, so that arrangements can be completed in a timely fashion. Please note, however, that registration to the Home Owners Dubai show as early as possible is recommended.

To apply for participation in the MAG 218 Community event or get further information post email to:

upandhi@gmail.com



Update: Hotel recommendations for out-of-towners; rates starting from Dhs 660 per night.

Timings and Additional Detail on Activities:

Dubai Marina Cruise
11:00 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m., from Marina Walk.

An opportunity to view the various projects coming up in the Marina from a unique perspective. The boat will cruise to the far end of the Marina and back, then into the open Gulf for sea views of the Marina and JBR towers. Transport will be via Nautica 1992 club's Gulf Craft 31' Walk Around boat, with cabin and bathroom.



Lunch at the Rupee Room
12:00 p.m. ~ 1:00 p.m., at Marina Walk.

Lunch will include 10 traditional Indian items with soft drinks. The Rupee Room first opened in Scotland in 1900 and is presently one of the most popular venues for lunch or dinner in the Dubai Marina. It is located at the Marina Walk's North Podium.



Visit to MAG 218 Site with Project Manager
1:00 p.m. ~ 1:30 p.m., 5 mins. from Marina Walk.

Just as foundation work gets underway on the MAG 218 tower, project manager Dr. Basheer will be available on site to explain and answer questions about this key phase of the construction process. It will be an opportunity to get answers to those tough technical and non-technical queries.



Home Owner Dubai 2006
2:00 p.m. ~ 9:00 p.m., at the Madinat Jumeirah (15 mins. from Dubai Marina). Pre-registration required.

The Seminar & Exhibition for Real Estate, Investment, Purchase and Real Estate Services. This event covers 3 days, 26-28 January, at the Madinat Arena of the Madinat Jumeirah (beside the Burj Al Arab hotel).



MAG PDD is an official sponsor. Online Pre-registration is required. You will recieve a registration number that must be presented for admission.

What you'll see at Home Owner Dubai:

• Banks and Financial Institutions
  
• Contractors
  
• Furnishing
  
• Insurance companies
  
• Interior designers
  
• Landscapers
  
• Lawyers and legal advisers
  
  
  
  
• Architects and Design Directors
  
• Mixed residential/commercial developments
  
• Marina and waterfront developments
  
• Leisure projects
  
• Project Managers and Directors
  
• Property Developers and Managers
  
• Real Estate Agents
  
• Real Estate and Property Investors
  
  
  
  
• Surveyors
  
• Builders and Developers
  
• Consulting Engineers
  
• Design Companies
  
• Integrated Building System Providers
  
• Removal Companies

Friday Evening Street Fairs
3:00 p.m. ~ 9:00 p.m., at Souk Madinat Jumeirah.



Description from website:

Thanks to popular demand, the Friday evening street fairs at Souk Madinat Jumeirah will be resuming on the second and fourth Friday of every month from October 2005 to April 2006. Handmade arts & crafts will be on sale in the Souk amphitheatre adding an extra dimension to the vibrant spirit of the Souk.

Don't forget camera and questions for the MAG 218 project manager.
See you at the Marina!
Go to the Latest Post, or read community notices at Notice Board. Return to MAG 218 Community homepage.

How to Navigate These Pages

For starters, there are two pages which represent, in HTML parlance, Index Pages:

Dubai Marina Communities and MAG 218 Community.

Each may be used as a starting point to navigate to other pages, like ~Photos (DM, M218) or ~Blogs (DM, M218), which branch out from the main theme of Dubai Marina or MAG 218.

There is also what represents an index in the traditional sense:

Dubai Marina & MAG 218 Topics (Index).

This page contains links to posts arranged by title, which are found throughout the Dubai Marina and MAG 218 pages. It also indicates which topic (DM or M218) the post relates to and the month and year of publication.

Besides the three index pages, the two blogs, DM Blog and M218 Blog are good places to start and return to, just for a light read on what's up with the two communities.

MAG 218 Future Residents, Buyers or Prospective Buyers:

• Slowly peruse the MAG 218 Gallery. Take a comfortable seat and click to enlarge each image revealing what the MAG 218 will look like.
  
• For a broad range of details, specs and perspective go to Purchasing a Unit in the MAG 218 Tower and check out the Key Links

On a related subject...
What's Up With MAG 218 and the Dubai Marina Anyway?

Why all the fuss and what has one got to do with the other?

Well, for a little background, in June 2005 I signed on for purchase of a unit in the MAG 218 tower. As an excited first time buyer, I was anxious to find out as much as I could about my new investment. As it turned out there were a few articles from news sources on the internet. These piqued my interest and I wanted to find more. Alas, there was little more to be found. The MAG 218 website became a way to share with other buyers whatever I could find and a focal point around which I could organize a search for more information. At the same time it would be a way to foster a sense of community among buyers.

It seemed to make sense at the time to also provide info on the larger Dubai Marina. The Dubai Marina Communities site was set up as an adjunct to the MAG 218 Community site, with the idea of establishing links with similar communities in the Marina--whether online or functioning on the ground. Thusfar, however, that hasn't happened. The MAG 218 Community may be at this point in time a unique entity.

At present the Dubai Marina Communities site is meant to provide some commentary on life in the Dubai Marina--mostly through the DM Blog. It is also intended as a general source of data, firstly on the various tower developments and on other facilities in the district. It isn't meant to be as comprehensive as the MAG 218 website, and is still somewhat oriented toward being a resource for MAG 218 buyers and residents.

Of final note, these pages are about both words and pictures. It is a given that many people interested in the Dubai Marina and MAG 218 are not in the UAE. Therefore, pictures are useful to present what is there without the bias of too much personal interpretation. The words on the other hand are all about expressing one's viewpoint of reality. Hopefully, the two will complement one another.

Return to MAG 218 Community or Dubai Marina Communities.

Join in the Fun @ DM Blog

So You Want to Collaborate

What this is, is group blogging. Say, Blogger A has a thought regarding anything on the Marina. He starts with a heading or title, then elaborates. Anyone, may proceed to comment on his statement, or Blogger B may at any point introduce his own topic of discussion. On a usual website or even a blog the Webmaster guy or gal pretty much controls the content. In a collaborative blog each blogger is basically free to add his/her own content. The Dubai Marina is (or will be) such an expansive community that it would be better served to have a forum to which many can contribute.

For those familiar with blogging it will be easy. For those with no experience, you will learn! Start by reading carefully about how it works below.

To the experienced blogger: You will be able to post text and format it in any way you please. Unlike posting a comment you will be the one to choose a title, and set the topic of your post. You may also format (if you like) and post pictures.

To all bloggers: The only requirement is that whatever you post be Dubai Marina relevant and, of course, neither indecent nor offensive--use your own judgement!

How it Works

In standard blogging the blogger types something up in a text box (online), clicks a button to publish, and voila! What he has written appears on a webpage for all to see.

• You will need an email address. This is so that you may receive an invitation to join the DM Blog. You will also need your email address to complete the following step.
  
  
• You must have (or get) a user ID associated with a Blogger account--this enables you to login and post messages. If you already have a Blogger account you may use the ID associated with it or you may wish to create a new Blogger account. To create a Blogger account go to Blogger.com and follow the step-by-step instructions.
  
  (Please note: When you create a Blogger account you will be guided through the process of creating a blog as well. If this is your first time and you are unsure what to blog about, just create a blog entitled "About Me" and in your first post (an initial post is required) write anything, briefly, about yourself, then click the publish button. In completing this step you will have created a blog on the Internet (to which you can freely post at any time), and you will at the same time have created a Blogger ID which allows you to publish posts to not only your own blog, but also any blog to which you are invited to collaborate on.)
  
  
• Contact me the website manager, by email, upon which I will send an invitation to you to join the DM Blog. After receiving the invitation reply as instructed. You will then be able to log in to your Blogger account and post directly to the DM Blog.

What's the Point?

Besides what has already been stated above, the DM Blog gives the reader or visitor to the Dubai Marina Communities sites a chance to not only learn about the Dubai Marina but contribute to the community and interact with others. This is already possible to some extent through posting comments, but blogging takes it a step further.

If you feel so inclined, then don't hesitate to join in the fun!

Return to Dubai Marina Communities or go to MAG 218 Community homepage.

How to Collaborate at MAG 218--Collaborate!

New for 2006 is an option for MAG 218 buyers to blog. (And blogging, which refers to a web log, is simply an easy way to insert text and images into webpages directly onto the Internet.) The idea of the MAG 218--Collaborate! blog is to encourage a free-ranging and spontaneous discussion among buyers and prosepctive buyers (and other concnerned parties) about anything related to the MAG 218.

How it Works

• You will need an email address. This is so that you may receive an invitation to join the MAG 218--Collaborate blog. You will also need your email address to complete the following step.
  
  
• You will need a user ID associated with a Blogger account--this enables you to login and post messages. If you already have a Blogger account you may use the ID associated with it or you may wish to create a new Blogger account. To create a Blogger account go to Blogger.com and follow the step-by-step instructions.
  
  (Please note: When you create a Blogger account you will be guided through the process of creating a blog as well. If this is your first time and you are unsure what to blog about, just create a blog entitled "About Me" and in your first post (an initial post is required) write anything, briefly, about yourself, then click the publish button. In completing this step you will have created a blog on the Internet (to which you can freely post at any time), and you will at the same time have created a Blogger ID which allows you to publish posts to not only your own blog, but also any blog to which you are invited to collaborate on.)
  
  
• Contact me the website manager, by email, upon which I will send an invitation to you to join the MAG 218 Collaborate! blog. After receiving the invitation reply as instructed. You will then be able to log in to your Blogger account and post directly to the MAG 218--Collaborate! blog.

What's the Point?

It's a new year, so why not start something new! That's one reason. Another is that blogging is, well, fun--especially collaborative blogging. If you have something you share in common with others--in our case, the MAG 218--then it creates an avenue for interchange that can be both interesting and informative.

It differs from posting comments, which is an option on this and all the MAG 218 Community pages, in that it allows each person to start his or her own topic of discussion. Posts, however, are not organized by topic, rather by simple chronological date. Therefore it takes on the flow of a casual conversation rather than a structured discussion.

To get a better idea have a look at the UAE Community blog, where bloggers within and outside of the UAE exchange thoughts and info about the place they take a common interest in. Be careful, it might be hard to pull yourself away from it! These bloggers offer a wide and varied scope of views.

That's it. Hope you'll join.

Return to MAG 218 Collaborate! or go to MAG 218 Community homepage.