Dubai's Toyota Building to be demolished next year
The Toyota Building in Dubai, a 15-storey residential tower and one of Sheikh Zayed Road's most recognisable landmarks, is scheduled for demolition in 2027, the Nasser Rashid Lootah Group (NRL Group) has confirmed. Built in 1974, the residential tower stood on what was then known as the Defence Roundabout, now the first interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road, and received its famous nickname after a…
The Toyota Building, a 15-storey residential tower in Dubai, is set to be demolished next year, according to the Nasser Rashid Lootah Group. Constructed in 1974, the landmark was initially known as the Defence Roundabout and later earned its iconic nickname due to a red-and-white neon Toyota sign installed on its roof in 1981. The sign was removed in 2018 after an advertising contract, but returned in 2022.
Now, the building itself is set to become part of Dubai's past. Many of its residents live in shared accommodations, and authorities have been cracking down on illegal sublets and partitioned units due to fire hazards. In June 2025, a fire in Dubai Marina highlighted the risks of illegally partitioned dwellings. Mohammed Maqdoom, a real estate coordinator at NRL Group, announced that electricity and water services will be disconnected in phases ahead of the demolition.
Residents, such as Himanshu Kumar, have mixed feelings about the building's imminent demise, remembering it as a significant part of their lives and the city's growth.
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