Dubai Shangri-La office tower plans would give a familiar Sheikh Zayed Road hotel a new commercial future, with developer Abbas Sajwani proposing a $1.3 billion transformation centred on premium offices, wellness facilities and restaurants.
Sajwani, founder and chief executive of AHS Properties, told Bloomberg that the Shangri-La property would become a development spanning approximately one million square feet, or 92,900 square metres.
The plans include Grade A office space, a 30,000-square-foot spa and fitness centre, and more than 12,000 square feet of restaurant facilities.
The proposal marks another step in Sajwani’s expansion beyond luxury homes into commercial property. It would be his second office tower project in one of Dubai’s most prominent business corridors.
Dubai Shangri-La Office Tower: What Is Planned?
The proposed development would change the role of an established hotel property on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s principal high-rise corridor.
According to the plans outlined to Bloomberg, the development would include:
- Approximately one million square feet of total space.
- Grade A offices.
- A 30,000-square-foot spa and fitness centre.
- More than 12,000 square feet of restaurant facilities.
The one-million-square-foot figure refers to the wider development. It should not be interpreted as the amount of office space alone.
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Bloomberg’s report puts the project at $1.3 billion. That figure is separate from the hotel’s purchase price and should not automatically be described as the construction budget.
Who Is Abbas Sajwani?
Abbas Sajwani is an Emirati property entrepreneur and the founder and chief executive of Dubai-based AHS Properties.
He established the business in 2021, initially buying and upgrading luxury villas in Emirates Hills and Palm Jumeirah before expanding into larger residential and commercial developments.
He is the son of Hussain Sajwani, the billionaire founder of DAMAC Group.
However, the Shangri-La redevelopment is being pursued through AHS Properties. It should not be presented as a DAMAC project simply because of the family connection.
His business has increasingly moved beyond individual luxury homes towards larger buildings and mixed-use real estate, with the Shangri-La proposal adding to that shift.
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The Shangri-La plan follows another prominent acquisition on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Sajwani previously bought the long-vacant tower widely nicknamed Dubai’s “Big Ben” for $120 million, with plans to refurbish it as AHS Tower.
Bloomberg reported in December 2025 that the building, known for its resemblance to London’s clock tower, was being transformed into luxury office accommodation.
The two projects show a recurring approach: acquiring existing properties in established locations and repositioning them for a different commercial future.
They remain separate developments. AHS Tower is not the name of the Shangri-La redevelopment.
When Did AHS Buy the Shangri-La Property?
AHS Properties acquired the Shangri-La Dubai property earlier in 2026.
In an August Forbes interview, Sajwani said the company bought it at the end of May for $300 million. AHS has also publicly described the acquisition at that value.
The October office-tower proposal therefore follows an earlier ownership transaction. It is a new development plan for an acquired asset, rather than the announcement of a fresh purchase.
For readers following the financial details, the distinction is important:
- $300 million refers to the acquisition value cited by Sajwani.
- $1.3 billion refers to the proposed project figure reported by Bloomberg.
Neither amount should be substituted for the other.
Why the Sheikh Zayed Road Location Matters
Sheikh Zayed Road is central to Sajwani’s strategy.
Discussing the Shangri-La acquisition with Forbes earlier this year, he pointed to the limited availability of undeveloped land along the corridor and the interest of investors seeking an established address.
That is the developer’s investment view, not a guarantee of future prices or returns.
The latest proposal focuses on repositioning an existing property, combining offices with dining and wellness facilities rather than treating the building solely as a workplace.
What Does Grade A Office Space Mean?
Grade A generally describes the upper end of the office market, covering properties positioned around high-quality specifications, services and location.
For this project, it is the category used in the reported development plan—not a published building certification or a complete technical specification.
Detailed information about office layouts, floor sizes, building systems and tenant arrangements will be needed to understand the finished offering.
The spa, fitness centre and restaurant components indicate that amenities are intended to form a significant part of the development.
What Has Not Yet Been Confirmed?
The available redevelopment details do not establish a complete delivery schedule.
Important unanswered questions include:
- When hotel operations would be affected.
- When redevelopment work would begin.
- Whether the existing structure would be retained or replaced.
- The expected completion date.
- Whether offices would be sold, leased or offered through a combination of arrangements.
- The project’s final name and detailed design.
Until those details are announced, the proposal should not be described as a completed conversion, an active demolition project or a launched office-sales programme.
A New Chapter for an Established Dubai Address
The Shangri-La proposal brings together two parts of Sajwani’s strategy: acquiring prominent existing assets and expanding into premium commercial property.
For Dubai’s property market, the next milestones will be the project’s design, delivery timetable and commercial offering.
For now, the confirmed story is the plan itself: AHS Properties intends to give an established Sheikh Zayed Road hotel property a new future built around offices, wellness and dining.
Sources: Bloomberg; Forbes; AHS Properties.
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