Dubai’s Toyota Building to Be Demolished as 70% of Tenants Evicted

Dubai’s iconic Toyota Building on Sheikh Zayed Road is set to be demolished after authorities ordered the eviction of overcrowded apartments containing illegally partitioned rooms, according to the building’s management.

Mahmood, a representative of the real estate department of Nasser Rashid Lootah Group, which manages the property, said approximately 70 per cent of the building has already been vacated following concerns over overcrowding.

Overcrowded Partitioned Flats Prompt Evictions

Some apartments reportedly housed as many as 15 people in partitioned rooms, prompting authorities to instruct the building management to remove residents from overcrowded units.

“The authorities concerned asked the building management to evict these overcrowded apartments. Currently, 70 per cent of the building has been evicted,” Mahmood said.

Tenants had previously reported that the move-out process was taking place in phases. Residents of partitioned accommodation were initially among those asked to leave, but the eviction later extended to other occupants, including people staying in company accommodation.

Ahmed, a grocery store employee who had lived in the building for five years, said he initially believed the action was focused only on partitioned apartments before residents in company accommodation were also asked to relocate.

Building Set for Demolition

The management representative also confirmed that the building will eventually be demolished, although no specific demolition date has been announced.

The property, officially known as the Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, is one of Dubai’s best-known landmarks along Sheikh Zayed Road and has played a part in the city's transformation over the past five decades.

Dubai Municipality has been taking action against illegally partitioned rooms, warning that unauthorised alterations can create serious safety risks. Such modifications can increase the risk of fires and make emergency evacuation more difficult.

A Landmark Dating Back to 1974

Built in 1974, just three years after the formation of the UAE, the approximately 65-metre-high, 15-storey building is considered one of Dubai’s early residential towers.

The building became particularly recognisable after a large red Toyota sign was installed on its roof in 1981. The sign remained a prominent feature of the Dubai skyline for almost four decades before being removed in 2018 following the expiry of its advertising agreement.

After strong public nostalgia for the landmark, the Toyota sign was reinstated in June 2022, restoring one of the building’s most recognisable features.

The impending demolition marks the potential end of an important chapter in the history of one of Dubai’s most familiar roadside landmarks, as the emirate continues to replace older structures with new developments.