Al Maryah Vista

Housing on the bankers' island: Al Maryah Vista opens the residential chapter

The brochure for Al Maryah Vista claims a title few projects can match: the first residential building on Al Maryah Island. Until now, the island was known mainly for its office towers, the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Cleveland Clinic. Reportage Properties handed over this building on June 26, 2024, through its subsidiary WeBridge Properties. The scheme runs from studios to duplex penthouses, with retail space at the base of the tower. For an investor, the question is straightforward. Can an island built for work also pull in tenants who want to live there?

WeBridge, Reportage's ADGM vehicle

The project isn't carried directly by Reportage Properties. WeBridge Properties LLC, a company registered with the Abu Dhabi Global Market and set up in 2014, is the legal developer. It launched Al Maryah Vista in the third quarter of 2019, under an agreement with Mubadala Investment Company, the sovereign fund that steered the island's development. That partnership explains the access to land previously reserved for commercial use. WeBridge positions itself around accessibility and flexibility, a different pitch from the high-end towers nearby. Reportage has since followed up on the island with Reportage Tower, a much taller building.

Twenty-two residential floors over three parking levels

The structure follows a layout common in Abu Dhabi, though it's worth breaking down. The building sits on two basement levels and a commercial ground floor. Above that come three podium levels of covered parking, then twenty-two residential floors. The first units therefore start fairly high up, which opens up views over the canal and the skyline. Six large elevators serve the building, a ratio the brochure highlights and one that keeps waiting times down during peak hours. The developer describes a contemporary facade with detailing at balcony level, without naming an architect.

Studio and junior one bedroom: the brochure's floor plan numbers

The published plans give a clear picture of the smaller units. The studio includes a living area of 3.4 x 4.0 m, a kitchen of 3.0 x 1.7 m and a bathroom of 1.6 x 2.7 m, plus a balcony. The junior one bedroom adds a proper bedroom of 4.0 x 3.0 m, set apart from a living room of 3.4 x 2.3 m and a dining nook. This in-between format clearly targets the single professional crowd drawn to ADGM. At the top, a limited number of duplex penthouses round out a range that also covers one to three bedroom apartments.

Appliances included and fiber optic connectivity

The list of interior fittings matters more than it might seem for a landlord. Kitchens come with a fridge, washing machine and cooker already installed, which means units can be rented out without further outlay. Floors combine marble and ceramic tiling, windows are double glazed and air conditioning is centralized. Every unit has a fiber optic connection and access to a shared satellite antenna. Bedrooms come with built in wardrobes.

A promenade and a swimmable canal as next door neighbors

Al Maryah Vista runs along the island's landscaped promenade, facing moored yachts. The brochure also mentions the nearby canal pool, described as the longest swimmable canal basin in Abu Dhabi. Inside the building, residents have access to an adult pool, a children's pool, a gym, a play area and a garden. Cafes and restaurants on the ground floor round out the offering. Access for people with reduced mobility is provided.

Cleveland Clinic one minute away, Reem Island five minutes away

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a one minute drive away, a concrete selling point for medical staff looking for housing nearby. Abu Dhabi Mall, the Beach Rotana and Al Reem Island are five minutes away, across the bridge toward downtown. The Rosewood is seven minutes away and the Four Seasons thirteen. Oddly, the brochure places The Galleria at ten to thirteen minutes by car even though the mall sits on the same island, a figure that mostly reflects the layout of the roads rather than actual distance. On foot, the promenade remains the most direct route.