Dubai’s landmark Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, popularly known as the Toyota Building, is set to be demolished in 2027 after more than five decades, bringing an end to the 15-storey structure’s long-standing presence near Sheikh Zayed Road, media reports said.
The building, which dates back to 1974, is currently being vacated after authorities raised concerns over overcrowding linked to illegally partitioned apartments, according to Dubai media reports.
Gulf News quoted an agent from the real estate division of Nasser Rashid Lootah Real Estate, which manages the property, as confirming that the building is scheduled for demolition in 2027.
Khaleej Times reported that some apartments had as many as 15 people living in partitioned rooms. The overcrowding and unauthorised partitioning of units have been linked to concerns over the building’s occupancy and safety, it reported.
Tenants can stay until December 2026
Residents with valid rental contracts can continue to live in the building until December 2026, according to Gulf News.
The agent said some residents had already moved out because their electricity supply was disconnected by the authorities. The issue was reportedly linked to partitioned apartments in the building.
Why is the building called the Toyota Building?
The Nasser Rashid Lootah Building was completed in 1974, when Dubai’s urban landscape was far less developed than it is today. The 15-storey residential building, standing about 65 metres tall, was among the first three buildings constructed near the First Roundabout on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The property became popularly known as the Toyota Building after a neon Toyota sign was installed on its roof in 1981. The iconic red logo remained there for nearly four decades before being removed in 2018 after the advertising contract expired, according to Gulf News.
Toyota UAE reinstated the logo in June 2022, nearly four years after it was taken down, it said.
The residential complex comprises one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and has remained a prominent landmark along Sheikh Zayed Road for more than five decades.
Why is the Toyota Building being demolished?
The Nasser Rashid Lootah Building is scheduled to be demolished in 2027. Residents with existing rental contracts have been allowed to remain in the building until December 2026.
Most tenants have already moved out, with the building management saying that the property’s electricity supply had been disconnected, media reports said.
The management was quoted as saying that it was unaware of the reason for the power disconnection and attributed the matter to Dubai Municipality. It also said the issue was linked to a number of partitioned apartments in the building, although this claim has not been independently confirmed, reports said.
Prime location and years of memories, say residents
Around 70% of tenants have already vacated the building, according to its management, as residents move out amid the ongoing issues affecting the property. Despite its ageing interiors and dated facilities, residents say the building’s prime location and relatively affordable rents made it difficult to leave.
One resident, who did not wish to be named, told Gulf News that their family had lived in the building for six years.
“We have lived in the Toyota Building for six years as a family. Although the building is quite old and outdated compared to the rest of the modern skyscrapers, it still stood out amongst all of them.”
The resident said the building’s location was a key reason the family continued to live there despite its age, describing it as being in a prime part of the city.
Himanshu SK, an Indian expatriate and travel agent who has lived in the UAE for around four and a half years, posted a video on Instagram bidding farewell to the building. He told Gulf News that he had lived there for three years.
SK said the building’s location and comparatively affordable rents made it difficult to find a similar home in Downtown Dubai. Having lived in both Block A and Block B, he said he had made many memories there and described the building as a significant part of his life in Dubai.
Another resident told Gulf News that the building’s central location had been a major reason for staying there despite its age. The resident also recalled spending time with neighbours and watching New Year’s Eve fireworks from the building.
A restaurant operating beneath the building told Gulf News that it remains open for now but expects to shut eventually. Its staff said most of the building’s residents have already moved out.
