Real estate developer and Public Investment Fund (PIF) giga-project ROSHN underscored the economic impact of the MARAFY project that will be implemented in Saudi Arabia’s western coastal city of Jeddah.
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at ROSHN Ghada Alrumayan told Asharq Al-Awsat that MARAFY will become a trade hub that attracts investments to Jeddah.
This will help increase job opportunities and the GDP, she added.
The project reflects an ambitious and young generation, she went on to say. Man is at the heart of every step of the project, starting from its planning phase to the laying of the foundation to its execution and until its completion.
In August, ROSHN announced MARAFY, a mixed-use development located in the north of Jeddah that will accommodate more than 130,000 residents with a manmade canal at its heart – the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia.
MARAFY’s canal, 11 kilometers in length and 100 meters wide, will connect and extend the Obhur Creek. This navigable canal is the first to be built in Saudi Arabia, and will be flanked by multiple districts, including ROSHN’s existing integrated residential development, ALAROUS.
The waterfront community is set to be ROSHN’s first fully mixed-use development. Its districts will be connected to each other and the rest of Jeddah by an intermodal transport system, including water taxis, bus lines, a dedicated Metro Red Line station, and a direct canal link to the King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Tourism destination
Alrumayan stressed that MARAFY will not be just any other destination. Rather, it will become a vibrant trade and tourism hub given its location. She expected that it will attract millions of Hajj pilgrims, who already visit Jeddah city on their journey.
This will enrich life in the city and raise the quality of life there through an integrated modern infrastructure, in line with one of Vision 2030’s goals of transforming Jeddah into one of the world’s top 100 livable cities, she added.
On the importance of MARAFY in developing the real estate sector in Jeddah, she told Asharq Al-Awsat that the project embodies modern life in Saudi Arabia, noting its design that revolves around man and caters to sustainability concepts.
She stressed that MARAFY is the most ambitious project in Saudi Arabia and marks a turning point in ROSHN’s history as the greatest national real estate developer in the Kingdom.
Cultural mark
Residents of ALAROUS will be able to benefit from all the services provided by MARAFY, which will allow them to adopt a new vibrant way of life, she added.
On the design concept of the project, she explained that Jeddah city boasts a rich history that spans centuries. This has left a unique cultural mark on the identity of the city and MARAFY will only complement this image by offering an innovative design that harkens back to this rich history.
The latest modern technologies and construction methods will be used to bring this concept to life, she stated.
This will create an ideal environment for living, work and recreation as MARAFY becomes a bridge between the past, achievements of the present and ambitions of the future, remarked Alrumayan
Alternative transportation
On modes of transportation in MARAFY, she said it will boast numerous options, while focusing on alternative means that reduce the reliance on cars, such as e-scooters and bicycles that will be available in all of ROSHN’s residential developments.
Moreover, she said MARAFY will boast water taxis and ferries that will allow easy transport between its various areas. It will also provide direct route to and from King Abdulaziz International Airport.
