Spreading over 800 hectares Dubai International City is a country-themed collection of residences. It also contains businesses and tourist attractions. Imagine a place inspired by the Middle East’s traditional carpets.
Dubai International City is located in the Al Warsan area of Dubai. It sits close to the Dubai Central Fruit and Vegetable Market. Nakheel Properties founded it. This happened on July 10 2004.
Did you know Dubai International City is nicknamed IC? People also call it IC Phase 1 or Warsan 1. It also goes by IC Dubai. The city’s arrangement is divided into multiple phases. Each has its own set of residential and commercial clusters.
The International City residential district has country-specific themed developments. It also has retail outlets. Plans include ten country-specific districts. These are also known as clusters. There is a China cluster plus an England district. The England district mirrors traditional London architecture. The France district features long French windows. These residential blocks have red and grey bricks. Pilasters or half-columns decorate them.
The Persia district is in the heart of the residential area. A Greece district also exists. The Russia district is the northernmost residential area. The Spain district features three and four-story buildings. These buildings are designed with a traditional stucco exterior. Morocco, Italy, and Emirates districts round out the themed areas.
The Central District provides building security. It also offers pools and private parking. Gyms, parks, and shopping areas are included. Other areas include the Lake District.
Inspired by Beijing’s Forbidden City a shopping mall was constructed. It covers 240000 square meters. Parking is available for 2000 cars. This mall sits north of the China Cluster. Chinamex’s Dragon Mart was developed by Nakheel Properties. It is a large mall for wholesale Chinese products. Dragon Mart has been a commercial success. A second mall called Dragon Mart 2 was constructed. It is adjacent to the original Dragon Mart 1. Dragon Mart 2 has 175000 square meters of space. It also features 4500 parking spaces. The project was completed in December 2015.
Launched in 2013 Warsan Village is located on the periphery of International City. This enclave features 942 townhouses and 250 apartments. Construction finished in Q3 2019.
Many hospitals and medical clinics are nearby. Apple International Polyclinic provides eye testing. They also offer medical tests for driving licenses. These tests are for commercial taxi drivers or new drivers. The Municipality of Dubai implemented regulations. These will address the prevalence of Shisha parlors. These parlors are housed in many buildings.
Nakheel intended to make low and medium-cost housing available. This was for the masses who suffered due to the real-estate boom until mid-2008. It aimed to provide medium and low-income earners with legal housing. This prevented resorting to illegitimate villa sharing. Dubai was badly affected by the Great Recession. Dubai International City was not immune. The impact varied across different communities and types of properties. Rental values and property prices decreased. The market gradually stabilized and started recovering.
In 2008 Dubai International City faced challenges due to the Great Recession. Nakheel was associated with many iconic projects in Dubai. International City struggled with a poor reputation. Negative press reports stemmed from issues. These included problems with its sewage systems and the nearby sewage facility. Access to the site and a perceived lack of amenities also played a role. A poll showed 91 percent of readers had a marked aversion to investing in International City units. 67 percent said they would not touch the place. This issue was solved by 2012.
Its proximity to the sewage treatment plant causes problems. Clusters like Morocco, Emirates and China are subjected to the odor of sewage. This occurs when the wind direction changes at night. Traffic gridlocks have existed.
The community is serviced by the RTA bus service. An International City 1 metro station on the Blue Line is planned. It will be an interchange station. A separate International City 2 and 3 metro station is also planned.
So, as you explore Dubai International City remember its unique design. It reflects global cultures in one place. It overcame challenges to become a vibrant community.