Berkeley Tower by Ellington: Business Bay Offices, Prices, Payment Plan and 2030 Handover
Ellington Properties is moving deeper into Dubai’s commercial property market with Berkeley Tower, its largest and tallest commercial development to date.
Unveiled on 20 October 2026 in partnership with Al Hamra Group, the AED 2.8 billion Grade A office tower is planned for a prominent Business Bay site beside the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor and close to Business Bay Metro Station.
The development rises to approximately 60 floors and is being designed around a relatively limited inventory of 109 freehold offices, ranging from approximately 1,132 sq. ft. individual suites to duplex and triplex corporate headquarters exceeding 22,000 sq. ft.
What makes Berkeley Tower particularly relevant in 2026 is timing. Dubai currently has strong demand for high-quality corporate space, but the tower is a forward purchase rather than a ready office. Investors therefore need to judge not just today’s Grade A shortage, but what Business Bay’s office market may look like when the project reaches completion around 2030.
Berkeley Tower — Key Project Facts
Developer: Ellington Properties
Partner: Al Hamra Group
Location: Business Bay / Sheikh Zayed Road corridor
Development value: AED 2.8 billion
Building: Approx. 60 floors
Office inventory: 109 freehold offices
Office sizes: Approx. 1,132 to 22,191 sq. ft.
Payment plan: 70/30
Indicative service charge: AED 24 per sq. ft. per year
Indicative completion: 2030; buyers should confirm the contractual SPA date
Where Is Berkeley Tower Located?
Berkeley Tower is positioned in Business Bay beside one of Dubai’s main transport and commercial corridors.
Ellington’s project information places Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall around four minutes away, DIFC around four minutes away, Dubai World Trade Centre approximately five minutes away and Dubai International Airport around nine minutes away by car under typical advertised conditions.
For office investors, however, the strongest location factor may be proximity to Business Bay Metro Station. Employee accessibility is becoming increasingly important as businesses compare Grade A offices across Business Bay, DIFC, Sheikh Zayed Road and emerging commercial districts.
Buyers researching the district can also review the Aurantius Business Bay property guide for broader location context.
Berkeley Tower Office Sizes and Configurations
The tower is deliberately structured around different corporate scales rather than a single standard office format.
| Floor Range | Typical Configuration | Approx. Size Range |
|---|---|---|
| Floors 1–10 | Up to 8 offices per floor | 1,132–1,389 sq. ft. |
| Floors 11–31 | Larger individual, quarter and half-floor-style configurations | Approx. 2,500–5,400+ sq. ft. |
| Floors 36–50 | Larger premium corporate suites | Approx. 2,364–6,522 sq. ft. |
| Floors 51–52 | Full-floor office | Approx. 12,182 sq. ft. |
| Floors 54–55 | Duplex corporate office | Approx. 21,873 sq. ft. |
| Floors 56–58 | Triplex headquarters | Approx. 22,191 sq. ft. |
That limited 109-office inventory is significant. It means the tower is not being designed as a high-density strata building containing hundreds of small interchangeable units.
For corporate occupiers, this can improve privacy and floor efficiency. For investors, it may reduce direct competition inside the building, although actual rental performance will still depend on the specific floor, layout and future tenant demand.
What Are Berkeley Tower Prices?
Pre-launch market material has positioned Berkeley Tower broadly around AED 4,300 to AED 5,000 per sq. ft., depending on the office, floor and configuration.
Smaller offices have been indicated from approximately AED 4.87 million, while full floors, duplexes and triplex headquarters can exceed AED 50 million and, at the top end, AED 100 million.
| Office Type | Approx. Size | Indicative Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level Office | 1,132–1,389 sq. ft. | Approx. AED 4.87M–6.95M |
| Larger Corporate Suite | Approx. 2,300–6,500+ sq. ft. | Varies materially by floor and layout |
| Full Floor | Approx. 12,182 sq. ft. | Approx. AED 52M–61M |
| Duplex / Triplex | Approx. 21,873–22,191 sq. ft. | Can exceed AED 90M–110M |
Pricing note: Unit-level prices and availability can change during allocation. Buyers should use the developer’s latest price list rather than treating pre-launch ranges as fixed contractual pricing.
How Does the 70/30 Payment Plan Work?
Ellington’s current project page sets out a 70/30 construction-linked payment plan.
| Payment Stage | Payment |
|---|---|
| At Booking | 20% |
| 90 Days | 5% |
| 180 Days | 5% |
| 240 Days | 5% |
| 360 Days | 5% |
| 20%–70% Construction Milestones | Six payments of 5% |
| On Completion | 30% |
For investors, the important number is not simply the 20% booking payment. Seventy percent of the purchase price is committed before completion, with another 30% due when the office is ready.
A buyer purchasing a AED 5 million office should therefore plan for the entire AED 5 million liability, not evaluate affordability only on the first AED 1 million booking instalment.
Why Berkeley Tower Is Different From a Conventional Office Building
Ellington is attempting to translate its design-led residential positioning into the workplace.
The official project material highlights five amenity levels when the ground floor and mezzanine facilities are included, with dedicated amenity floors supporting business, wellness and social functions.
Business facilities: Meeting rooms, co-working spaces, business lounges and event areas
Wellness: Fitness, spinning and Pilates facilities plus rest-and-recharge spaces
Social spaces: Clubhouse, games areas and outdoor terraces
Vertical transport: Destination-controlled double-decker lifts
Parking: Robotic automated parking is a key feature of the scheme
These amenities may improve occupier appeal, but investors should also remember that more complex buildings can generate higher operating and service costs.
Ellington currently indicates a service charge of approximately AED 24 per sq. ft. on its project material. Final approved operating costs should still be checked at or closer to completion.
How Does Berkeley Tower Fit Into Dubai’s 2026 Office Market?
Berkeley Tower is launching into a favourable environment for premium commercial property.
Aurantius’ Dubai Office Rents 2026 report shows that average office rents were around AED 241 per sq. ft. in Q3, while premium Grade A buildings remained a relatively scarce part of the market.
Demand is increasingly concentrated around modern buildings with Metro access, efficient floor plates, strong parking, high-quality common areas and sustainability credentials.
Berkeley Tower is clearly being designed around those requirements.
The risk is that today’s shortage cannot simply be assumed to continue unchanged until 2030. More Grade A office supply is expected before Berkeley Tower completes, so buyers need to think forward rather than valuing the property only against today’s rental conditions.
Berkeley Tower vs Rockefeller Business Tower
The Berkeley launch also arrives almost simultaneously with another high-profile Business Bay commercial development: Christian A. Rockefeller Business Tower.
Both projects target the premium Grade A segment, offer freehold ownership and emphasise hospitality-style workplace amenities, but they are not identical investment products.
| Factor | Berkeley Tower | Rockefeller Business Tower |
|---|---|---|
| Developer / Positioning | Ellington design-led Grade A office project | LMD project with Rockefeller branding |
| Office Inventory | 109 offices | 332 offices |
| Smallest Offices | Approx. 1,132 sq. ft. | Approx. 1,077 sq. ft. |
| Payment Structure | 70/30 | 50/50 structures in current sales material |
| Completion | Around 2030 | Current material commonly indicates Q2 2031 |
Aurantius’ Christian A. Rockefeller Business Tower guide provides a more detailed comparison point for buyers considering premium Business Bay commercial launches.
Is Berkeley Tower Better for Investors or Owner-Occupiers?
The answer depends heavily on office size.
Smaller units may attract investors targeting professional firms, family offices and regional businesses that prefer an efficient premium address without buying an entire floor.
The larger half-floor, full-floor, duplex and triplex formats are more relevant to major owner-occupiers and institutional corporate users seeking headquarters space.
Rental investor: Focus on achievable rent, tenant depth, service charge and vacancy.
Owner-occupier: Focus on employee access, parking, corporate identity and long-term space requirements.
Institutional buyer: Focus on floor efficiency, exclusivity, future headquarters value and resale depth.
Short-term investor: Review resale and assignment terms carefully rather than assuming a liquid pre-handover exit.
What Buyers Should Verify Before Booking
1. Confirm the latest unit-specific price directly from the current price list.
2. Check whether the quoted area includes terraces and how much is internal usable space.
3. Verify the office’s parking allocation.
4. Review the full 70/30 instalment schedule and construction milestones.
5. Confirm the completion date stated in the SPA rather than relying only on marketing material.
6. Budget for fit-out, VAT, registration and ongoing service charges.
7. Compare the purchase price with ready Grade A offices in Business Bay, DIFC and Sheikh Zayed Road.
8. Review competing office supply scheduled to complete between now and 2030.
9. For investment purchases, calculate net yield after service charges and vacancy rather than headline gross rent.
10. Check resale or assignment conditions before assuming the unit can be sold during construction.
Because Berkeley Tower is an off-plan commercial development, buyers comparing it with other new launches can also review the Aurantius Off-Plan Projects section. Here the link is directly relevant because the investment itself is being purchased before completion.
FAQ: Berkeley Tower by Ellington
Question: Where is Berkeley Tower located?
Answer: Berkeley Tower is located in Business Bay beside the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor and close to Business Bay Metro Station, with quick access to Downtown Dubai, DIFC and Dubai World Trade Centre.
Question: Who is developing Berkeley Tower?
Answer: Berkeley Tower is being developed by Ellington Properties in partnership with Al Hamra Group.
Question: How many offices are in Berkeley Tower?
Answer: Current project material identifies 109 freehold offices, ranging from individual suites to full-floor, duplex and triplex headquarters.
Question: What is the starting office size?
Answer: The smallest offices start at approximately 1,132 sq. ft., while the largest upper-level corporate configurations exceed 22,000 sq. ft.
Question: What is the Berkeley Tower payment plan?
Answer: Ellington currently publishes a 70/30 structure: 20% at booking, staged payments during the construction period and 30% on completion.
Question: How much do offices cost?
Answer: Current launch-stage market information places smaller offices from approximately AED 4.87 million, with pricing varying by floor, size, terrace and configuration. Buyers should confirm live pricing before reservation.
Question: When will Berkeley Tower be completed?
Answer: Current market material generally points to completion around 2030, although some secondary sources differ on the exact quarter. The binding completion date should therefore be verified in the final SPA.
Question: What is the estimated service charge?
Answer: Ellington’s current project page indicates approximately AED 24 per sq. ft. Final approved service charges can differ by completion and should be confirmed before calculating net rental returns.
Conclusion: Berkeley Tower Targets the Right Office Segment — but Buyers Are Paying for 2030, Not 2026
Berkeley Tower arrives at a favourable time for Dubai’s premium office market.
Business Bay remains one of the city’s most active commercial districts, Grade A availability is relatively constrained, and occupiers are increasingly prioritising modern buildings with strong transport connections, efficient technology and better employee amenities.
Ellington’s strategy addresses those requirements directly: a prominent Business Bay location, only 109 offices, large corporate floor plates, robotic parking, double-decker lifts and dedicated workplace and wellness amenities.
The main investment risk is timing.
A buyer reserving Berkeley Tower in 2026 is effectively buying the office market of approximately 2030. Today’s rental shortage supports the thesis, but it cannot guarantee the rental rate, occupancy level or resale valuation four years from now.
The strongest buyers will therefore compare Berkeley Tower against both ready Grade A offices and the pipeline of premium commercial projects expected to complete over the same period.
Commercial investor rule: Do not buy Berkeley Tower simply because Business Bay offices are tight today. Compare the exact unit on price per sq. ft., usable area, parking, service charge, fit-out requirement, payment schedule and realistic 2030 rent. The project has strong Grade A fundamentals, but the purchase price still determines whether those fundamentals translate into a good investment.
