Taxi drivers and many other residents haven’t heard of International Media Production Zone, commonly referred to as IMPZ.
The most prominent towers, built by Damac, have studios, one-bed and two-bed units. Each of the ten towers varies slightly in height, and is an average of 18 stories tall. The Centrium towers nearby, built by ETA Star, offer three-bed apartments but no studios. Rents are similar in both buildings. All contain ground-floor grocery shops, while some also have beauty salons, barbershops, and cafeterias.
Where?
The up-and-coming area, close to Jebel Ali, is located at the tip where Al Khail Road (E44) joins Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road (E311). Sports City, Jumeirah Village Triangle and Jumeirah Village Circle and Jumeirah Golf Estates are neighbouring communities.
Location and entry points
IMPZ can be handily accessed from both sides of 311, and Al Khail Road. Access through Sports City from Victory Heights is controlled by Security.
Good for:
Low rise options
People who prefer lower-rise options. The three Qasr Sabah buildings, which are each six storeys, offer studios and one-bedroom units at similar prices. Built by the RSG Group, a local conglomerate, the three blocks are in a quieter area of IMPZ.
Facilities
IMPZ is served by Me’asium City Centre, a popular shopping mall with a large Carrefour hypermarket and shops, cafes and restaurants. The mall is easily within walking distance between both the Centrium and Damac towers. There are also fairly lengthy padded jogging tracks. The tracks are lit at night.
There are currently no schools in IMPZ. But Dubai British School, GEMS International School, Wellington International School, Emirates International School Meadows, and Regent International School are all within a 15-minute drive away.
Apart from a small clinic at the Me’asium City Centre, there are also no hospitals in IMPZ. The Saudi German Hospital on Hessa Street is 15 minutes away by car.
Affordability
IMPZ is an affordable community. It has good connectivity for job locations. The area is also noteworthy for the ethnic mix of its residents. Unlike some areas of Dubai, IMPZ is not dominated by one nationality. You can see many Arabs, Europeans and Indians.
Rents
Studio: Dh30,000 to Dh45,000
1 bedroom: Dh50,000 to Dh55,000
2 bedroom: Dh65,000 to Dh80,000
3 bedroom: Dh90,000 to Dh110,000
(Figures are according to Rera rental index)
Bad for:
Traffic
Beware of: Weekday traffic that builds up around 5.30pm by the Al Khail bridge, the main point of entry. This can cause wait times of around 10-20 minutes. Avoid trying to drive to the Al Khail entry from Al Khamila Road, due to long tailbacks on the slip road.
No Supermarkets
There are no major supermakets there just yet, prompting many residents to walk around 800 metres to Me’aisum City Centre.
Parking Issues
In days gone by, many residents would park on the sand to avoid parking costs at the buildings. But for the past year, poles have been put around many of the sandy areas — except outside Centrium. Some tenants have a parking space at the lower floors in their building, while others will have to pay extra. The monthly rent of a parking space inside the building ranges from around Dh400-500.
Distance from city center
MPZ’s distance from the city’s main areas means that most residents own cars. There is one bus route, the F29, which runs regularly from IMPZ to Mall of the Emirates. It takes about 35 minutes. An Enoc petrol station on the E311 can be handily accessed by driving through IMPZ’s back roads.
Beware
With tower names like Lakeside and Lago Vista, prospective residents might expect at least a pond-sized body of water. But many residents have given up hope of ever seeing water fill the massive concrete-lined spaces across the road from Damac’s tower.
- as of Feb 2017
