A few things have changed since this photo was taken of the Sheikh Zayed Road in late 1980s/early 1990s.
A smidgen of development has taken place:
However, at least one thing remains stubbornly unchanged. Just across the road from the Burj Dubai and ‘the most prestigious square mile on earth’, the “Toyota Building” still stands defiantly, like a crotchety and deteriorating old relative who refuses to go quietly.
According to Peyman Younes Parham, director of marketing and corporate communications at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai, the building will not be immediately affected by the infrastructure development.
“It’s not in our plan to remove this building,” he said. “Every building has its lifespan, but this one is privately owned and it will be demolished at the owner’s discretion.”
Veeru Taman, who works in the real estate division of Nasser Rashid Lootah Group, said there were no immediate plans to demolish the building.
It is testimony to the sheer insanity of the real estate boom in Dubai that amidst all the frenzy; the mushrooming land prices; the man-made islands; and the plans to pave over half the desert, no-one got round to redeveloping an eye-sore located on the city’s main motorway and in the middle of one of the main business districts. Somehow it remains untouchable, with the new interchange being painstakingly built around this obstinate lump of concrete.
I am intrigued as to why this building has remained sacrosanct when so many other buildings and areas have been deemed expendable (Chicago Beach Village, Dubai Country Club etc.). Answers on a postcard please…
Posted by petersolaranon 
