AMMAN: In late February, Jordan’s Al Adnani Group signed an agreement with Kuwaiti property developer United Real Estate Company to build a 929-sq-metre health spa at the $300m Abdali Mall in Amman. Dubbed Gaia’s Cocoon and billed as “seven-star”, the women-only spa will offer health and beauty products, alongside therapy services ranging from massage and facials to body toning and weight loss.
Its completion could draw more people to the 227,000-sq-metre mall, which opened late last year and houses a supermarket, entertainment centre, food court, café and a range of mostly mid-tier stores. International brands with outlets among the mall’s 55,000 sq metres of gross leasable area include Tati, Matalan, Zara, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Oysho, Jules, Calzedonia, Punt Roma and PAUL.
The shopping centre is part of the $5bn Abdali development, Amman’s biggest mixed-use project at 2m sq metres of total built-up area, which when completed will include medical and entertainment facilities, alongside residential apartments. About one-fifth of the development –406,000 sq metres – will be devoted to retail.
A further boost could come from the retail components of hotel developments. In October Abu Dhabi-based developer Eagle Hills said it expected its $200m W Amman hotel to be completed by mid-2017. The project will include 41 luxury units called the Skyline Residences on the top seven of its 37 floors, while also featuring office space and shopping outlets.
These and other projects reflect steady expansion in Jordan’s retail sector, where available space grew by 7% in 2016 to 158,000 sq metres, according to property consultancy AT Kearney. Retail sales rose 2.5% that year to $14bn, having seen a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% over the previous three years.
