Dubai’s Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) district is set to gain a new community hub, with main construction on the BAY360 mixed-use development beginning this month.
Enabling works on the site are now complete, clearing the way for the next stage of the project. BAY360 is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2028.
The development will be built partly on reclaimed land from Lake D and will add retail, dining, wellness and recreational amenities to the waterfront.
It will also include landscaped outdoor spaces and new public zones along the lake’s edge. Developer Sweid & Sweid has appointed McLaren Construction as main contractor for the scheme.
According to Sweid & Sweid, the project aims to address underused waterfront areas in JLT by improving pedestrian links, creating new public areas and generating more activity along the lake.
Managing partner Maher Sweid said: “JLT has a large community, but much of the waterfront remains underused. BAY360 is our response to that opportunity, creating a destination that brings more life and activity to the lake.”
A flagship 22,000ft² Spinneys supermarket will anchor the development as its lead tenant.
It will be supported by a variety of restaurants, cafés and lake-facing outdoor terraces designed to take advantage of the waterfront setting.
The scheme also plans to include medical facilities, lifestyle and community retailers, rooftop padel courts and play areas for families.
Visitors and shoppers will be served by a 300-space underground parking facility.
BAY360 forms part of the wider plans of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) to upgrade communal spaces across JLT.
A new pedestrian avenue will link the nearby metro station to surrounding areas, improving access for residents, workers and visitors travelling without a car.
Lakefront upgrades will add greenery, public walkways and seating areas, giving the community more places to gather outdoors.
The appointment marks the second collaboration between Sweid & Sweid and McLaren Construction.
Their previous partnership delivered 6 Falak, a Grade A office building in Dubai Internet City.
The building is fully leased and has achieved LEED Gold certification, the green building rating system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council.
McLaren Construction, headquartered in London, has operated in the UAE since 2009.
The contractor has delivered several major regional projects, including community malls, data centres and the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Last month, the firm was also appointed as main contractor for Walworth Corners, a purpose-built student accommodation project in Elephant & Castle, London.
With groundwork finished and main construction now under way, BAY360 enters the phase that will shape its final form over the next two years.
Once complete, the development is expected to transform an underused stretch of the JLT waterfront into a mixed-use destination combining everyday retail, dining, health services, sport and public open space.