CAI PMDP instructors Mike Packard and Rob Felix and I had the unique opportunity to spend 10 days in Dubai recently as the guests of Emaar Properties.
Emaar is one of the largest developers in the world and is currently constructing some of the largest, most complex, and most unique developments in Dubai. Their Burj Dubai project will include the Burj Dubai Tower, the tallest building in the world, along with the Dubai Mall, with over 1,200 stores, a hockey rink, a 10-million-gallon aquarium, and the usual theaters, restaurants, and other attractions, plus 30 additional residential, commercial, and hotel buildings, many over 30 stories tall.
CAI was asked to travel to Dubai to help educate the managers of Emaars' various residential properties on best practices in community management. Mike and Rob delivered a M-100 program to 35 members of Emaars' Residential Management Department and administered the CMCA exam as well. The class included managers from Emaars' community management operations in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
We were all very impressed with the education, commitment, and skills that the Emaar managers brought to the course and the many projects that they are managing.
We also had the honor of attending and speaking at the first ever Dubai Community Managers Forum, where we had the chance to meet many other members of the Dubai community management industry including developers, management companies, and government regulatory officials.
I have posted some other photos from our Dubai excursion. Just click on the "Photos" folder in the right column and then click on "Dubai".
Some other thoughts, impressions and observations:
- There is construction literally everywhere. If there were a state bird it would be the construction crane. As a result, it is frequently hazy from all the dust. And hot and humid too....98F in late October.
- Every project and building is unique. The attention to architectural design, materials, and artistry is simply amazing. In addition, many projects include a significant public art component ranging from sculptures and water features to intricate designs and materials in the sidewalks.
- They are building the infrastructure at the same time as the developments. As a result, the infrastructure (particularly transportation) is challenged to keep up with the growth in population. In other words, traffic is terrible!!
- Dubai is a melting pot with people for all over the world who have come to help build and be part of its amazing growth and transformation. So you can find aspects of many other cultures across the city....even an Irish pub with rugby, soccer (football), and cricket via satellite.
Special thanks are due to Jeevan D'Mello and Sameer Kulkarni, who lead the community management department at Emaar. They were our day-to-day hosts in Dubai, ensuring that we had a chance to meet people, see the city, and thoroughly enjoy this unique opportunity.
