Al Shafar Tower

TL;DR

Al Shafar Tower in Barsha Heights (TECOM), Dubai, comprises two completed residential towers — Tower 1 (completed 2009) and Tower 2 (completed 2012, 25 storeys) — developed by Al Shafar Development. Combined, the towers deliver studios, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom apartments from 400 sqft to 2,550 sqft, priced from AED 700,000 to AED 4.97 million on the secondary market. Positioned within a 10-minute walk of Dubai Internet City Metro Station, the towers offer rooftop pools, gymnasiums, ground-floor retail, and 7 levels of podium parking — making them among Barsha Heights' most practical and well-connected mid-market residential addresses. Gross rental yields consistently track at 6–8%, backed by strong occupancy from Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, and Knowledge Village professionals.

Overview

Al Shafar Tower is a twin-tower residential development by Al Shafar Development, one of the UAE's established mid-market real estate developers known for functional, well-maintained residential projects in key Dubai growth corridors. The two towers — Al Shafar Tower 1 and Al Shafar Tower 2 — sit within Barsha Heights (formerly known as TECOM), a high-density mixed-use district that hosts one of the UAE's most concentrated clusters of technology, media, and communications companies including Du Telecom, Dubai Internet City tenants, in4, and hundreds of multinational business centres.

Al Shafar Tower 2, the more recently completed of the two, stands 25 storeys tall with 18 dedicated residential floors sitting atop a podium of parking and retail. Al Shafar Tower 1 was completed in 2009 and has established a 16-year occupancy track record — a significant data point for investors evaluating sustainable rental demand.

The Barsha Heights community that surrounds the towers has evolved considerably since the towers' construction. What was once a business-dominated zone has grown into a mature mixed-use neighbourhood with supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and fitness studios all within walking distance. The demographic has shifted to include a significant professional residential population attracted by proximity to the Dubai Media City and Internet City free zones.

Location & Connectivity

Barsha Heights' connectivity is its most powerful draw. The district sits at the geographic crossroads of Dubai's western urban band — equidistant from Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, and the Al Barsha residential district.

Key transit connections from Al Shafar Tower:

• Dubai Internet City Metro Station (Red Line): approximately 8–12 minutes walk
• Dubai Media City Metro Station: 12–15 minutes walk
• Sheikh Zayed Road (E11): 5 minutes by car
• Al Khail Road (E44): 5 minutes
• Hessa Street (D61): 3 minutes

Key destination distances:

• Dubai Marina / JBR: 12 minutes by car
• Palm Jumeirah: 15 minutes
• Downtown Dubai / Burj Khalifa: 20 minutes
• Dubai International Airport (DXB): 30 minutes
• Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC): 30 minutes
• Mall of the Emirates: 8 minutes (Al Barsha)

The Metro connectivity is particularly valuable: residents can reach Dubai Marina in under 10 minutes by rail and the entire Red Line corridor — from DMCC to the airport — without a car. This positions Al Shafar Tower in the select group of Dubai residential buildings with genuine, practical transit access that reduces car dependency.

The ground floor retail of Al Shafar Tower includes grocery access and F&B, while the broader Barsha Heights street level offers abundant dining (Arabic, Indian, Filipino, European, Asian), a Carrefour Express, salons, laundries, pharmacies, and a Spinneys supermarket within 5 minutes on foot.

Architecture & Unit Design

Both Al Shafar towers adopt a clean high-rise residential form — rectilinear floor plates with wide glazing panels and private balconies on most units. The buildings were designed for maximum unit efficiency: generous room sizes relative to total apartment footprint, practical kitchen layouts, and cross-ventilated balcony access that enables natural air circulation in the cooler months.

Studio Apartments:

• Size: from 37 sqm (400 sqft)
• Average: ~400 sqft
• Open-plan bedroom/living/kitchenette combined space
• Fitted bathroom with shower
• Popular with single professionals working in Dubai Internet City

1-Bedroom Apartments:

• Size: from 88 sqm (950 sqft)
• Separate bedroom, open-plan living/dining, semi-closed kitchen
• One or two bathrooms depending on floor and tower
• Balcony access with city or community views
• Fitted wardrobes

2-Bedroom Apartments:

• Size: from 135 sqm (1,450 sqft)
• Two separate bedrooms, full master en-suite
• Spacious living and dining area
• Semi-closed or fully enclosed kitchen
• Balcony/terrace on most configurations

3-Bedroom Apartments:

• Sizes: 1,759–2,550 sqft (163–237 sqm)
• Three full bedrooms, master en-suite plus shared bathroom
• Large open-plan living/dining room
• Fitted kitchen with pantry
• Laundry room
• Balcony with panoramic views of the Barsha Heights skyline and, on higher floors, the Dubai Marina horizon

All units are delivered with central air-conditioning, ceramic tile or marble flooring in living areas, built-in wardrobes, and fitted kitchens with cabinetry and worktops. Bathrooms feature standard European-style fixtures. The buildings are managed to a consistent maintenance standard with regular common area upkeep.

Amenities

Despite their mid-market positioning, both Al Shafar towers offer a meaningful suite of amenities that cover the core lifestyle requirements of busy urban professionals:

Rooftop Swimming Pool:

• Located on the rooftop level — offering panoramic views over Barsha Heights
• Available to all tower residents
• Sun loungers and covered shade sections
• A rare positioning compared to most Barsha Heights buildings where pools are at podium level

Gymnasium:

• Equipped with cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes) and weights area
• Located adjacent to or near the rooftop pool
• Air-conditioned, open daily to residents

Parking:

• 7 levels of podium parking — a substantial capacity that addresses one of Barsha Heights' primary infrastructure challenges
• Each residential unit comes with at least one designated parking bay
• Larger 2BR and 3BR units allocated two parking spaces

Security:

• 24-hour security personnel at lobby entrance
• CCTV monitoring of all common areas, car parks, and building perimeter
• Electronic access control for residential floors

Ground Floor Retail:

• Commercial outlets integrated into the tower ground floor
• Provides immediate convenience for residents: convenience grocery, food, and services without leaving the building

High-Speed Elevators:

• Multiple elevator banks serving the full tower height
• Service elevator for deliveries and moves

Children's Play Area:

• Dedicated play zone within the building complex

Investment Analysis

Al Shafar Tower represents one of the more consistent yield-generating assets in Dubai's mid-market residential sector:

Rental Performance:

• Studios: AED 50,000–65,000 per year
• 1-Bedroom: AED 60,000–85,000 per year
• 2-Bedroom: AED 90,000–120,000 per year
• 3-Bedroom: AED 110,000–160,000 per year

Gross Rental Yields: 6–8%, consistently above Dubai's broader residential average of 5–7%. The proximity to tech and media free zones generates persistently high occupancy — companies within Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City routinely rent corporate apartments for relocated staff in the immediate vicinity.

Secondary Market Pricing (2025):

• Studios: AED 700,000–900,000
• 1-Bedroom: AED 950,000–1.5M
• 2-Bedroom: AED 1.6M–2.5M
• 3-Bedroom: AED 2.8M–4.97M

At these price points and yield levels, Al Shafar Tower offers investors a low-risk, completed asset with a demonstrated 15-year rental track record — a contrast to off-plan speculative investments with no performance history.

Key investment fundamentals:

• Completed and operational — zero construction risk
• 16-year occupancy history (Tower 1) — proven demand curve
• Metro proximity drives tenant preference, especially among car-free renters
• Barsha Heights continues to grow as a residential destination as more amenities (hotels, restaurants, gyms) anchor the community
• Freehold (check specific unit deeds — title type to be confirmed with developer/DLD)
• No income tax, no capital gains tax under UAE law

Why Al Shafar Tower Stands Out in Barsha Heights

Among the many residential towers in Barsha Heights, Al Shafar Tower differentiates itself on three practical dimensions:

1. 7 Levels of Parking: In a district notorious for parking pressure, Al Shafar Tower's self-contained 7-level parking podium is a genuine competitive advantage — residents and visitors avoid the neighbourhood's chronic street parking congestion entirely.
2. Rooftop Pool Location: Unlike most Barsha Heights buildings where pools are buried in podium levels with limited sky exposure, Al Shafar Tower's rooftop positioning delivers genuine open-sky pool access with views over the community.
3. Dual Tower Scale: The twin-tower format means a larger resident community, better management economies of scale, and more robust long-term maintenance funding compared to smaller single-tower buildings in the area.

Summary

Al Shafar Tower, Barsha Heights (TECOM), Dubai — twin towers by Al Shafar Development, Tower 1 (2009) and Tower 2 (2012, 25 storeys). Studios from 400 sqft, 1BR from 950 sqft, 2BR from 1,450 sqft, 3BR from 1,759 sqft. Prices AED 700K–4.97M. Rooftop swimming pool, gymnasium, 7-level parking, ground floor retail, 24/7 security. 8–12 min walk to Dubai Internet City Metro. Gross yields 6–8%. Ideal for investors seeking proven, transit-linked mid-market yield assets in Dubai's technology district corridor.