31 Above is a 31-storey commercial tower on its own island in Dubai Maritime City (DMC), planned for Q1 2029 handover. The supply is deliberately tight: 116 offices, four per floor. Early placements are moving on expressions of interest rather than a public release, which tells you how demand looks at this end of the market. If you want a statement office address on the water, this is one to watch.
Pricing guidance being circulated is AED 3,400 to 3,500 per sq ft, positioned for premium waterfront offices with skyline and sea aspects. Launch communications and portal summaries confirm a 50/50 payment structure, with EOIs at AED 100,000 per unit or AED 400,000 per full floor. The launch timing falls in November 2025, alongside the press activity.
Four units per plate is worth flagging: cleaner circulation, fewer neighbours, and usually better corner exposure for client-facing rooms. The upper plates with terraces are a nice touch.
Snapshot and key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | 31 Above (Commercial Offices) |
| Address / Master Dev. | Dubai Maritime City (between Port Rashid and Mina Rashid) |
| Floors / Inventory | 31 floors, 116 offices, typically 4 per floor |
| Typical unit sizes | ~2,200 to 4,500 sq ft (with select terraces) |
| Average floor plate | ~12,250 sq ft total (varies by level) |
| Views | Dubai skyline, Arabian Gulf, Marina/Promenade |
| Guide price | AED 3,400 to 3,500 / sq ft |
| EOI | AED 100,000 (unit) / AED 400,000 (full floor) |
| Payment plan (headline) | 50/50 (staged 5% installments during 2026 to 2028, 50% on completion Q1 2029) |
| Handover | Q1 2029 |
| RERA project # / Escrow | TBC |
| Service charges (est.) | TBC (commercial) |
| Status | Launch communications live Nov 2025 |
Location and connectivity
Dubai Maritime City is a purpose-built waterfront district that sits between Port Rashid and the cruise terminals and the Jumeirah coastline, with fast access toward Downtown, DIFC, Sheikh Zayed Road, and DXB. For occupiers who mix client hospitality with executive presence, the micro-location works: central enough for leadership and banking meetings, scenic enough to impress visiting partners. Recent launch communications lean on the waterfront island setting within DMC.
If you are mapping it, drop the pin in the DMC business spine. Tower coordinates are usually shared post-permit, so for now use the DMC HQ vicinity while sales releases firm up. Approach routes run via Sheikh Rashid Road and the Jumeirah Street arteries, with quick connections into the historic creekfront for hospitality and events. Drive-times vary by day and time, and peak coastal traffic can stretch what looks like a short hop on the map.
Related reading: the broader growth logic sits inside Dubai’s long-horizon planning. See the Dubai 2040 Master Plan for how waterfront commercial and mixed-use nodes are being prioritised.
Floor plates, sizes and views
The standard plate divides into four offices with efficient cores and select balconies or terraces on the upper levels. The sample upper plate (floors 24 to 31) shows an overall internal area of roughly 11,455 sq ft with about 1,030 sq ft external, totalling ~12,485 sq ft. Typical upper-level units:
- Unit 01: ~3,595 sq ft internal + 257 sq ft external, 3,852 sq ft total
- Unit 02: ~2,232 + 257, 2,490 sq ft
- Unit 03: ~1,931 + 258, 2,189 sq ft
- Unit 04: ~3,697 + 257, 3,955 sq ft
On mid-rise floors (for example 11 to 14), the overall plate is illustrated at about 10,661 sq ft internal + ~1,030 sq ft external = ~11,691 sq ft total. Unit totals vary accordingly, and certain levels present larger terraces, which are useful for executive breakout zones or private outdoor meeting nooks.
Download 31 Above Brochure
Orientation and views are called out in the brochure overlays: Dubai skyline, Arabian Gulf, Marina/Promenade, and a commercial highline. That helps when you shortlist floors for client-facing frontage versus back-of-house depth. If your brand cares about boardroom backdrops, the higher zones with terraces are the safer bet.
Shell-and-core lets you design to spec: acoustics, meeting densities, tech floor, pantry placement. It also means you control the client journey from the elevator lobby to the boardroom. Some teams love that, others prefer fitted. Here, the blank canvas is the feature.
Why four units per floor matters
With four units per plate, most tenants get double-aspect potential and cleaner lift-lobby sightlines, which cuts the usual compromises of deeper, chopped-up floors. It is subtle, but it shows up later in space-planning efficiency, the difference between a cramped 8-seat room and a comfortable 10 to 12 with daylight. The official and portal briefs consistently highlight the four-offices-per-floor, 116-unit design.
Price, EOI and availability
- Guide PPSF: AED 3,400 to 3,500
- EOI: AED 100,000 per unit / AED 400,000 per full floor
- Release cadence: early allocations via signed EOI plus cleared funds, typical in premium launches with limited plates
- Handover: Q1 2029, with 50% on completion per the payment schedule
On timing, the press wires dated November 6, 2025 mark the commercial expansion narrative. That is usually the moment to advance an EOI if you want upper-zone, view-led plates before they are picked over.
Links you may want next
Off-Plan Properties, browse launch-stage assets similar to 31 Above
Book a Private Consultation, request price lists, plate options, and floor availability
Amenities and on-site ecosystem
This is not a stack-them-high, sell-them-fast office block. The concept leans into executive presence, wellness, and client hospitality, the mix you feel day to day.
- Triple-height arrival (about 7.5m) with a concierge-style lobby that reads more hospitality than corporate. A strong first impression if your brand hosts visitors or board meetings often.
- Business lounge and meeting suites for informal catch-ups and overflow rooms, useful for teams that entertain clients or run frequent workshops.
- Fitness and wellness on site: gym, yoga and pilates, and indoor-outdoor breakout pockets, so your team is not stuck in the lifts hunting for a treadmill. A small thing that compounds over years.
- Curated ground-level retail and cafe potential, with landscaped podium terraces, so informal meetings do not need a car.
Wellness works best when it is not tacked on. Here it looks integrated into the podium and amenity decks, which usually means people actually use it: lunchtime resets, walking one-on-ones, quick phone-call laps.
Parking and access. Dedicated parking allocations are expected at the typical Grade-A ratio for premium towers, with exact ratios usually confirmed at reservation or S&P stage. If your use-case depends on high visitor traffic, plan for valet and visitor bays plus ride-hail drop-offs during peak hours. Parking specifics are TBC in the formal release.
Payment plan (dates and percentages)
The staged schedule is front-light: smaller 5% tranches across construction, then 50% on completion at Q1 2029. That structure helps cash-flow planning, since capex can be reserved for fit-out closer to handover.
| Milestone | % |
|---|---|
| Booking | 10% |
| 1 month from booking | 10% |
| 01 Apr 2026 | 5% |
| 01 Oct 2026 | 5% |
| 01 Apr 2027 | 5% |
| 01 Oct 2027 | 5% |
| 01 Apr 2028 | 5% |
| 01 Oct 2028 | 5% |
| On completion (Q1 2029) | 50% |
If you are acquiring a quarter, half, or full floor, those 5% tranches read as predictable diary reminders rather than chunky outflows, which helps treasury planning. The 50% on completion aligns with the typical timing of fit-out deposits, MEP design, and procurement, so many buyers time financing or retained earnings to match. Third-party portals and launch briefs echo the same 50/50 shape and Q1 2029 timeline.
If you intend to consolidate adjacent units into a larger plate, flag it at EOI. The stack-planning team can often steer you toward floors with easier demising lines.
Cost of buying (DLD, Oqood, VAT and typical extras)
Below is a working estimate of headline government and transaction costs for commercial off-plan in Dubai. Some developers run promotions such as partial DLD support, so always confirm on your reservation form and S&P. Where figures vary by case, we mark TBC.
| Cost item | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DLD registration (transfer) fee | 4% of price | Standard Dubai Land Department transfer charge. |
| DLD admin / title deed | AED 580 | Payable at issuance/transfer. |
| Registration trustee office fee | AED 4,000 (> AED 500k) / AED 2,000 (up to AED 500k) + 5% VAT | Payable at trustee office, totals AED 4,200 or AED 2,100 incl. VAT. (Dubai Land Department) |
| Oqood (off-plan registration) | Part of the DLD process (admin TBC) | Many market guides refer to an Oqood certificate/admin, often quoted around AED 5,250, but this varies by case, confirm on your invoice. |
| VAT on commercial property | 5% of purchase price | Commercial supplies (sale/lease) are taxed at 5% in the UAE, and VAT is often recoverable for VAT-registered buyers. |
| Agency / brokerage fee | ~2% + 5% VAT | |
| Conveyancing (optional) | AED 6,000 to 10,000 | For third-party conveyancers handling checks and transfer logistics. |
Two compliance notes for commercial buyers
- UAE VAT applies to commercial property. For many corporate buyers, input VAT is recoverable if you are VAT-registered and using the asset for taxable supplies. Confirm with your tax advisor and make sure your TRN is on contracts and invoices.
- Off-plan means Oqood registration. Some materials loosely call the 4% an Oqood fee. In practice you complete off-plan registration via Oqood and settle the DLD 4% plus fixed admin at the trustee office or an approved channel. Double-check whether any developer incentives offset part of these costs.
Quick affordability lenses
- Cash-flow shape: front 20% in year one (booking plus 1 month), then six lots of 5% across 2026 to 2028, and 50% at handover, often aligned with financing drawdown and fit-out timelines.
- PPSF guidance: AED 3,400 to 3,500 today. For budgeting, multiply by your target net saleable area, including terrace if it is priced.
- Transaction friction: for quick mental math, add roughly 4% DLD, 5% VAT (commercial), and incidental admin/trustee to your base price. Promotions can soften this.
Financing and structure, briefly
Commercial finance is available in Dubai, but underwriting is more document-heavy than residential. If you plan to fund the 50% on completion with debt, start early on term sheets, valuation, and DSCR. Also consider SPV versus operating-company ownership for VAT recovery and accounting.
Investment view: what could drive returns, and what could get in the way
The thesis in short: 31 Above combines waterfront scarcity, a destination-grade address in Dubai Maritime City, and a clean 50/50 payment shape culminating at Q1 2029. For owner-occupiers, the proposition is prestige, control over fit-out, and brand impact on recruiting and clients. For investors, the core bet is continued absorption of premium offices and rental growth for view-led, Grade-A waterfront stock.
Demand drivers to watch
- Waterfront commercial is limited. Most prime waterfront strips in Dubai skew residential or hospitality. A trophy-feel office with terraces and skyline or Gulf aspects is rare, and scarcity tends to support rental resilience and exit liquidity over time.
- D33 and long-horizon planning. The city’s growth programs, and the ongoing cruise, port, heritage, and tourism reinvestment around Port Rashid and Mina Rashid, keep this pocket relevant for executive-facing HQs and professional services.
- Space quality and efficiency. Four units per plate, shell-and-core control, and outdoor spill-over areas are tangible value-adds for leadership teams and client-heavy businesses.
- Corporate brand logic. For many firms, the marginal cost over a non-view plate is offset by business-development impact, hiring appeal, and client experience: boardroom views, outdoor breakout, hospitality walkability.
Risks to price in
- Lease-up risk for investors: underwrite conservatively until the service-charge line and parking ratios are finalised and the sub-market’s post-handover achieved rents are observable.
- Fit-out capex and timeline. Shell-and-core is a plus for customisation but needs capital and time. MEP design, procurement, and approvals can push schedules if you do not plan early.
- Interest-rate and financing paths. The large 50% on completion concentrates financing and treasury actions at handover, which is fine if planned and painful if not.
- Execution risk on delivery, permits, final specs, and bridge or promenade access cadence. Keep contingencies and insist on documented specs at S&P.
An honest note: even good waterfront projects need a couple of real, lived-in case studies before rents settle at their natural level. Smart investors give themselves runway for that stabilisation year.
Comparables (for context, not equivalence)
| Project | Area | Status | Notes on relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICD Brookfield Place | DIFC | Ready | Dubai’s benchmark for ultra-prime Grade-A offices, sets design and tenant-mix standards (city-core, non-waterfront). |
| Dubai Design District (Bldg 5) | d3 | Ready | Design-led community with strong creative and agency pull, a waterfront-adjacent urban vibe and a different tenant profile from an executive HQ tone. |
| One Central (select towers) | DWTC | Ready | Large-floorplate Grade-A alternative with excellent access and convention-district energy, more urban than resort-style. |
| Prime Marina Offices (assorted) | Dubai Marina | Mixed | Water-adjacent stock with lifestyle pull, typically smaller plates and mixed ages and specs versus new-build trophy feel. |
Why these? They help triangulate tenant expectations, amenity standards, and brand positioning. 31 Above’s island-plus-promenade composition leans more resort-executive than CBD-corporate, so use that when you craft the leasing narrative.
Who should buy
- Owner-occupier HQs and SMEs. If you host clients, pitch, or recruit senior talent, the arrival, views, and terraces are an operating advantage, not just a nice-to-have.
- Family offices and boutique funds. A trophy-style floor, or a half or quarter plate, in a waterfront new-build is a credible long-hold wealth asset with utility for internal teams.
- Co-working and flex operators. Four-per-plate logic plus outdoor spill-over is a good canvas for premium, meeting-heavy flex.
- Global investors (core-plus). If you underwrite line-by-line cash flow, anchor the model on conservative rent and voids and keep fit-out incentives realistic.
If you are choosing between a pure CBD location and 31 Above, the real question is whether your brand is better served by a high-energy city-core address or by a waterfront executive destination with a hospitality tilt. Different answer for different teams.
FAQs
1) What’s the guide price?
Current guidance is AED 3,400 to 3,500 per sq ft, subject to final release, stack, and views. Always confirm the latest availability and price list.
2) What’s the payment plan?
Front-loaded 10% plus 10% (booking and 1 month), six lots of 5% across 2026 to 2028, and 50% on completion (Q1 2029).
3) When is handover?
Target Q1 2029.
4) What sizes are available?
Indicative ~2,200 to 4,500 sq ft per unit, typically four units per floor, with terraces on select levels. Full-floor options exist, EOI dependent.
5) Is it shell-and-core or fitted?
Shell-and-core, so you customise the plan, acoustics, and finishes.
6) Are service charges known?
TBC (commercial). Budget prudently and confirm at S&P.
7) RERA project number and escrow bank?
TBC, verify via the official paperwork at reservation and S&P.
8) Can I buy multiple adjacent units to create a larger plate?
Yes, subject to stack planning and availability. Flag it at EOI.
9) Parking ratios and visitor parking?
To be confirmed in the formal releases. Expect allocated bays plus visitor and valet logic, check the final ratios.
10) Can I lease or sub-lease after purchase?
Commercial leasing is generally permissible subject to lease laws, building bylaws, and owners’ association rules. Confirm conditions and any fit-out approvals.
11) What other costs should I account for?
Plan for 4% DLD, trustee and admin, VAT (5% on commercial), agency fee if applicable, and fit-out.
12) Investment or owner-occupier?
It can work for both. For investors, underwrite conservatively until service charges and achieved rents in the building are visible. For owner-occupiers, the brand and client-experience benefits are immediate.
Register interest, book a call, get the price list and floor plans.
Prefer WhatsApp? We will share stack options, plate availability, and the payment schedule in one message. Book a Private Consultation.
