Sheikh Zayed Road (the E11) is one of the most famous roads in the world. It easily takes the title of the longest road in the UAE, stretching 558.44 KM from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah.
In between, it travels the breadth of Dubai, running parallel to the Persian Gulf coastline. The stretch between Trade Centre Roundabout and Interchange 2 is home to many of Dubai’s skyscrapers, both old and new, and this section is recognised as the main residential arm of the highway in the city. Sheikh Zayed Road is quite unique because it’s a leasehold community, whereby a private developer owns each tower - as opposed to freehold communities where different landlords buy from the developer and lease their units out. Only locals and those from the Gulf can own here; other nationalities cannot buy and develop, they can only lease as tenants. Although a predominantly new high-rise community, there are around a dozen old properties built more than 15 years ago that initially established the area. On the northwest side these include Saeed Tower 2, Fairmont Dubai, Shangri-La Hotel and Al Meraikhi Tower, with construction commencing in the late 1990s. These older buildings are still very impressive as they have been refurbished since then. On the southeast side, older buildings include Dusit Thani, Maze Tower and 21st Century Tower; the latter took the title of the world’s tallest residential building when it was completed in 2001 with 55 storeys. You will find good facilities such as swimming pools, gyms and parking in most buildings, while the new towers boast excellent finishes and a great location. Burj Al Salam is a good example of one of the newer buildings. Sheikh Zayed Road is a convenient place to live as Downtown and the iconic Burj Khalifa are only two minutes away. Residents have easy access to banks, small furniture shops, car showrooms and dealerships, real estate offices, pharmacies and many restaurants and cafés