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The Douglasdale Estate is to be located strategically beside the exclusive Works Layout that fronts the new Owerri Ring Road in Imo State. It is sited on a land area of 8.17 hectares.

Already, the pens have been put to papers following the recent agreement reached between the investors and the project construction team. Promoting and developing the project is G & E Limited who are doing it in partnership with Chief C. E.
Ibeheme, the Executive Chairman of Ibeheme Motors Limited.
The development is estimated to cost over N7.5 billion and is expected to be completed within a period of 12 – 18 months. Before now, G & E Limited, a real estate development firm had been involved in the redevelopment of Eric Moore Towers in Surulere into ultra luxury apartments.

Construction work had commenced already on the model block that contains four town houses, two units of 2 bedroom flats as well as a unit of three bedroom flat. The project will produce a total of 300 housing units comprising 152 units of three bedroom town houses attached with one room service quarters, 68 units of three bedroom flat with a study and dedicated stairway that ascends from the ground floor. There will also be 80 units of two bedroom flats. All these units will be contained in 50blocks of exquisite accommodation. Meanwhile, the sod turning ceremony has been officially slated for December 24, 2007.

Other members of the project team include Messrs Envohygienix, the architects who designed the houses; Aim Partners, a subsidiary of Aim Partners, Atlanta, Georgia who are the project managers. Financing the project by way of mortgage financing is the trio of UBA PLC, FCMB and First Bank Plc. The price range of the various house types consists of N10,950,000 for the 2 bedroom flats, N20,550,000 for a unit of the 3 bedroom apartment and N20,850,000 for each unit of the 3 bedroom town houses.

The high profile estate is targeted at the rapidly expanding expatriate community, the upwardly mobile middle class professionals, company executives and Nigerians in Diaspora. Also penciled within the market dragnet of the promoters are retiring senior civil servants who are expected to explore the development as a unique opportunity for them to jumpstart their early preparation to build retirement houses of their own.

Planned to serve the estate is an armada of upscale facilities. There will be functional drainage for the road network. The challenge of easily interrupted electricity will be overcome with the installation of two heavy duty generators. There will be bore hole with treatment for potable water supply. The residents will procure their immediate needs from the estate shopping mall.

Lined up for the recreation of the residents are swimming pools, bar/restaurant and children playground while the sports facilities such as gymnasium, squash court, tennis courts, and basket ball courts will help the residents to hone their bodies. To aid communication within the estate are intercom, and Wi fi Internet while CCTV complements the security arrangement. Furthermore, an estate clinic will cater to the medicare while a crèche will serve the purpose of the education of the younger ones.

The finishing of the houses is well detailed. The floor finish is vitrified tiles in living rooms while ceramic will be deployed in the bedrooms, bathroom/toilets as well as the kitchen. The wall finish comprises screened wall finished with good quality paint. The internal ceiling will be topped with gypsum board with Plaster of Paris cornices and external ceiling with PVC. Internal doors are exquisite flush while the external are security doors.

There will be DSTV connection in all housing rooms and bedrooms and they will all be airconditioned. Adding to the beautiful scenery are PVC projected windows with green tinted glass. The kitchen will be equipped with cooker, smoke expeller, microwave and washing machine. There will be hot/cold bath and showers in the bathroom. There is a modern touch to lighting with recessed fittings and wall brackets and the sanitary wares are pure acrylic.

A statement credited to a senior official of the development company said that Douglasdale Estate is poised to be a real estate investors’ delight with its potential of attracting premium rental income.