Karama’s iconic Sana Building, also known as Emirates Center Building, will soon be demolished to make room for a new twin tower, media reports said.
Occupants of the almost 30-year-old building, which received its nickname due to the presence of an outlet of Sana Fashions on its ground floor, were asked to vacate by December 31, 2016 and the building will be demolished by this month-end, Gulf News quoted a senior executive of Al Shafar Real Estate Company, which owns the building, as saying.
“We have already given the contract to a company. They will start the demolition after receiving the approvals by the end of the month or even earlier than that,” the executive who gave his identity as Nayab, project manager, reportedly said.
He said the new project that will replace the landmark building will be a 35-storey twin tower with a massive shopping cener on the ground floor. “The project will be ready in two years. Both the towers will have residences,” he added.
Sabeer, an employee of Sana for 23 years, reportedly said the company had shifted its staff and stock to other branches and moved its office in the building to Al Quoz.
Over the years, the junction had become one of the busiest spots in Dubai, teeming with the hustle and bustle of Karama.
All commercial outlets, including typing centers, a beauty parlor and a clinic, have already been shut, it added.
The watchmen at the building said most of the tenants had vacated before New Year. “We will be on duty maximum for two more weeks. We will be shifted to other projects,” Rajpal Jat, a watchman, reportedly said.
A notice pasted on the building indicated that the tenants were given a one-year deadline to vacate the building for its demolition on December 1, 2015. The notice reminded tenants about the last day for vacating the building on December 31, 2016 and warned about disconnection of electricity and water supplies by January 5.
Though the lifts in the wide, spacious and well-maintained building had stopped operating, the last tenant to vacate on Wednesday still had power supply, reported Gulf News.
