2026-08-10
Shamal Holding, the Dubai-headquartered investment company, has appointed Dutco Construction as the main contractor for the redevelopment of the former Dubai Zoo site in Jumeirah 1. The award, announced on 2026-08-10, moves the project into its main construction phase: 90 low-rise homes arranged around a central park, a clubhouse and the mature trees that once shaded the zoo. None of the residences will be offered for sale. Shamal keeps the entire community in its own portfolio and will lease the homes as premium rentals, one of the clearest build-to-rent statements Dubai’s prime residential market has seen.
What is being built on the former Dubai Zoo site
The project replaces the old zoo grounds with a residential quarter of 90 homes in low-rise buildings, grouped around shared courtyards and landscaped open spaces. The masterplan is anchored by a large central park, and the mature trees that grew on the site during the zoo’s five decades of operation will be retained, giving the new community an established, green character from day one, something new districts on reclaimed or desert land cannot replicate.
Resident amenities include a clubhouse, a wellness area, a dedicated children’s play area, a family pool, a lounge and a gym. The architecture follows clean geometry with natural materials, and the layout is designed to be walkable, with communal spaces that encourage day-to-day interaction between residents.
“This site carries real meaning for Dubai and for Jumeirah. Our responsibility is to honour that while building something of lasting quality,” said Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Executive Officer of Shamal Holding.
Dutco Construction is a Tier 1 contractor in the UAE. It has already worked with Shamal on the infrastructure of Dubai Harbour and Dubai Harbour Marinas, so the contract extends an established relationship rather than starting a new one.
From city zoo to Jumeirah landmark
Dubai Zoo opened in 1967 and was the first zoo on the Arabian Peninsula. For fifty years it sat on Jumeirah Beach Road as one of the city’s best-known family destinations, until it closed permanently on 2017-11-05. Its animals were relocated to the far larger Dubai Safari Park in Al Warqa, and the compact Jumeirah plot, surrounded by one of Dubai’s most desirable coastal districts, stood waiting for a second life.
That second life has now been defined. Rather than selling the land or building towers, Shamal is turning the site into a low-density neighbourhood that trades maximum floor area for character, greenery and long-term income. In a city known for rapid demolition and rebuilding, keeping the site’s trees and low-rise scale is a deliberate nod to the area’s heritage.
A build-to-rent bet: why the homes are not for sale
The most telling detail of the project is the ownership model. All 90 residences remain under Shamal’s ownership and will be offered for premium leasing only. That structure turns a one-off land asset into a permanent income-generating holding, and it says a lot about how Dubai’s institutional investors read the market.
Build-to-rent works when an investor expects sustained tenant demand at premium rents for many years. By committing to it in Jumeirah 1, Shamal is effectively underwriting long-term demand from the exact audience that international business brings to Dubai: senior executives, relocating families and entrepreneurs who want an established address near the beach, schools and the city’s central business districts without buying property on arrival.
Institutional landlords also keep control of quality. Because no units are sold, the community keeps a single standard of maintenance, landscaping and tenant selection, which supports rental values over time.
What the project signals for Dubai real estate
For investors and business owners watching the UAE, the redevelopment carries three practical signals.
First, land in Dubai’s established districts is scarce, and every remaining plot is being capitalised. A site that spent half a century as a municipal zoo is becoming a long-term institutional asset. Similar logic is driving redevelopment across older Dubai neighbourhoods, and it supports values in mature areas rather than only in new master-planned communities.
Second, the premium rental segment is being taken seriously as an asset class. For relocating professionals this means more high-quality rental supply in prime locations. Whether renting or buying makes more sense depends on your horizon: our guide on mortgages in the UAE for residents and non-residents breaks down the ownership route in detail.
Third, heritage locations are becoming a differentiator. Projects that preserve trees, scale and identity target tenants and investors who value character over glass towers, a niche that established coastal districts like Jumeirah are best placed to serve.
Key facts checklist
- Developer and owner: Shamal Holding, a Dubai-headquartered diversified investment company.
- Main contractor: Dutco Construction, Tier 1 UAE contractor, previously delivered Dubai Harbour infrastructure for Shamal.
- Location: former Dubai Zoo site, Jumeirah 1, Dubai.
- Scale: 90 homes in low-rise buildings around shared courtyards.
- Model: premium leasing only, all homes stay under Shamal ownership.
- Amenities: central park, clubhouse, wellness area, children’s play area, family pool, lounge, gym.
- Heritage: mature trees retained; the zoo operated from 1967 until 2017-11-05, when its animals moved to Dubai Safari Park.
- Contract announced: 2026-08-10; completion date not yet disclosed.
How Atlant Capital can help
Projects like this one exist because international business keeps moving people and capital into Dubai, and that is the part we handle every day. Atlant Capital supports founders and executives relocating to the UAE with company formation, residency visas and corporate bank accounts, so that finding a home in a community like the new Jumeirah quarter is the enjoyable part of the move rather than the last step of a paperwork marathon.
If your plans go beyond renting, we assist with financing through our mortgage assistance service, and for property investors we structure long-term residency, including the 10-year UAE Golden Visa available from AED 2 million in qualifying real estate.
The bottom line
The Dutco contract turns a nostalgic Dubai landmark into a working construction site and, eventually, into 90 premium rental homes under a single institutional owner. For the market, it is a concrete example of how Dubai capitalises every square metre of its established districts, and of how build-to-rent is maturing into a mainstream strategy in the emirate’s prime locations.
FAQ
What will be built on the former Dubai Zoo site in Jumeirah?
Shamal Holding is developing 90 low-rise homes around a central park on the former Dubai Zoo site in Jumeirah 1. The community will include a clubhouse, a wellness area, a children’s play area, a family pool, a lounge and a gym, and the zoo’s mature trees will be preserved. Dutco Construction was appointed main contractor on 2026-08-10.
Can I buy one of the 90 homes on the old Dubai Zoo site?
No. All 90 residences remain under Shamal Holding’s ownership and will be offered for premium leasing only. It is a build-to-rent community, so the homes will be available to tenants but will not be listed for sale.
When did the Dubai Zoo close and where did the animals go?
Dubai Zoo closed permanently on 2017-11-05 after operating for about fifty years, having opened in 1967 as the first zoo on the Arabian Peninsula. Its animals were relocated to Dubai Safari Park in Al Warqa, which offers far larger, modern enclosures.
Does renting a home in Dubai qualify me for a residence visa?
No, renting alone does not grant UAE residency. Residence visas are obtained through employment, company ownership or property investment. Buying qualifying real estate worth AED 2 million or more can qualify you for a 10-year Golden Visa, while renters typically hold visas through their employer or their own company.
