End of an era for Dubai’s Toyota Building as 70pc of tenants move out
Tenants with valid contracts can remain until December 2026
DUBAI -- Dubai’s iconic Toyota Building is being cleared of tenants ahead of its planned demolition in 2027, bringing an end to more than five decades of history along Sheikh Zayed Road.
Around 70 percent of the building has already been vacated after authorities raised concerns over overcrowding linked to illegally partitioned apartments. Some units were found to have as many as 15 people living in partitioned rooms.
The 15-storey Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, one of Dubai’s early residential towers, has long been a familiar sight at one of the city’s busiest junctions. Its distinctive red Toyota sign, installed on the roof in 1981, turned the building into one of the most recognisable landmarks of Dubai’s evolving skyline.
Evictions underway
The building’s real estate management said the authorities concerned had instructed it to evict apartments affected by overcrowding. Residents living in partitioned accommodation were among the first to leave, but the move subsequently extended to other occupants.
Some residents who had lived in the building for years were also asked to relocate. Company accommodation residents were among those affected as the clearance progressed, despite initially believing the action was focused only on illegally partitioned flats.
Dubai Municipality has previously warned that unauthorised partitions can create serious safety risks, particularly by increasing the danger of fires and making emergency evacuation more difficult.
The crackdown comes amid wider efforts to address overcrowded and improperly divided residential units. Apartments altered into multiple rooms without approval can result in living conditions that exceed the intended capacity of the property.
Demolition planned
The building’s management has confirmed that the property is scheduled to be demolished, although there is currently no specific demolition date. Separate information indicates that the demolition is planned for 2027.
Tenants with valid rental contracts can remain in the building until December 2026, while a significant portion of residents have already moved out.
Built in 1974, just three years after the formation of the UAE, the building stands at roughly 65 metres and was among the first three structures to rise near what was then known as the First Roundabout.
At the time, the area bore little resemblance to the densely built Sheikh Zayed Road of today. The tower witnessed the transformation of the road from an emerging route into one of Dubai’s defining transport and business corridors.
Toyota sign
The building officially bears the name Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, but its popular identity came from the large illuminated Toyota sign installed on its roof in 1981.
For almost four decades, the bright red sign was a familiar feature for motorists travelling along the road. It was removed in 2018 after the advertising contract expired, but returned in June 2022 following widespread nostalgia for the landmark.
Over the decades, the residential complex housed one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and remained a distinctive presence as Dubai’s skyline grew around it.
By 2026, the once-dominant structure remains dwarfed by the modern towers around it, but its familiar profile continues to mark the location near the first interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Its planned removal in 2027 will leave another piece of Dubai’s early urban landscape behind as the city continues to reshape its skyline.