This is the Crane that gave the Beach its name
Chicago Bridge & Engineering Co.
Ⓒ L Hejze
Search Maps of Dubai and you will not find any reference to "Chicago Beach".
Chicago Beach never officially existed.
"Chicago Beach" was the name everyone used to describe a stretch of beach where Dubai's Offshore Oil Storage Tanks were built
This beach later became home to Dubai's first Resort Hotel - Chicago Beach Hotel - and Dubai's first gated community - Chicago Beach Village.
Today the name has disappeared along with the beach, the hotel and the village.
But memories of Chicago Beach remain.
Chicago Beach was a long stretch of open beach on Dubai's coastline towards Abu Dhabi, several kilometres from Dubai's outskirts towards Abu Dhabi. The beach was considered "remote" back then but was soon to become part of Dubai as Dubai expanded. In 1966 this beach was chosen to build Dubai's three Kazzans - Offshore Undersea Oil Storage Tanks. Chicago Bridge and Engineering Company USA was chosen to build these Kazzans.
Chicago Bridge Engineering and Iron Company set up their worksite on the beach, erecting a construction crane which dominated the skyline. This crane carried a signboard advertising "Chicago Bridge and Engineering Company" which could be read from miles away. This became a reference point for everyone travelling on Dubai's few roads or desert tracks connecting Dubai with Abu Dhabi.
"Chicago Beach" entered the Dubai everyday language as a means of giving directions. Chicago Beach was never an official name despite being used for a Government owned housing complex and hotel.
"Chicago Beach"continued to be used as a destination name long after the Kazzans were completed and Chicago Bridge and Engineering Company had left the beach.
After the Kazzans were built, the area reverted to beach and sand dunes but the name "Chicago Beach" remained.
Eventually a gated Residential Community was built near the site comprising about 100 villas and housing mainly Expatriate Families. This Residential Community was officially named as "The Chicago Beach Village".
Chicago Beach Village was built in the late 1970s to accommodate staff working in Dubai's Offshore Oil Industry. CBV was a gated community surrounded by a high wall with one entrance and exit controlled by Security Guards. Visitors needed to show a legitimate reason to enter CBV.
Housing was mostly single storey Villas built around an internal road system. CBV's location out of town meant CBV had to be self sufficient with its own Club, Sports facilities and Supermarket. CBV was not the first gated estate in Dubai, but the first "Exclusive Gated Estate"! CBV became THE place to live in Dubai not only for its location and exclusivity but also for its value. Rents were relatively low and properties well maintained plus you lived on the beach! Finding a CBV villa to rent was difficult because of the Oil Industry demand but over time more non Oil Industry people moved in to CBV.
Chicago Beach Hotel was a great place for a Dubai Holiday in the 1970s, 80s and 90s and popular with locals too! Chicago Beach Hotel was ahead of its time in many ways. CBH offered the kind of exclusive resort holiday Dubai's New Hotels now provide. 615 rooms, an exclusive beach, extensive leisure facilities, a range of bars and dining outlets, good quality rooms and excellent service were forerunners of what Dubai's Hotels began to provide in the new Millennium.
The construction of an iconic hotel built offshore from the old Chicago Beach Hotel was the first of many astonishing projects to change the face of "Old" Dubai. Announcement said the hotel would be called the "new" Chicago Beach Hotel. This hotel was Sheikh Mohammed's personal project. When the hotel was completed, Sheikh Mohammed announced his hotel would be named - Burj Al Arab. Chicago Beach Hotel disappeared from Dubai's map and Chicago Beach faded from Dubai's vocabulary.
Chicago Beach Village was at the Abu Dhabi end of Jumeirah Beach Road. CBV was demolished in 2001 to make way for the Madinat Al Jumeirah
The only remaining link with Chicago Beach is its pier. Originally built during the construction of Dubai's Kazzans, the pier remained when Chicago Bridge and Engineering vacated Chicago Beach. This pier was later incorporated into Chicago Beach Village's beach entertainment facility. But when CBV was later demolished, the pier remained in place. It is there today, some 50 years after it was built, home to Pierchic - an up market restaurant - part of the Al Qasr Hotel.
