Empire Gardens

170 pools for 221 apartments: Empire Gardens' bet on small units

Out of Empire Gardens' 221 homes, 170 come with a pool. That figure stands out for a building where studios and 1-bedroom units make up more than nine in ten of the total unit count. Empire Developments, the real estate arm of Ghani Holdings, is building this 13-storey residence in Dubailand Residence Complex (DLRC), with handover scheduled for December 30, 2028. The technical layout follows a 2B + G + 13 + R structure: two basement levels, a ground floor, thirteen residential floors and a landscaped rooftop. The project also leans on a clear financial pitch, a 1% monthly payment schedule stretched over 80 months, which runs well past the handover date.

201 of the 221 units are studios or 1-bedrooms

The brochure lays out a deliberately lopsided unit mix. There are 101 studios (50 with a pool, 51 without) and 100 one-bedroom apartments, all fitted with a pool, 37 of which include a maid's room or study. Larger units stay marginal: 12 two-bedrooms with a pool, 2 three-bedrooms with a maid's room and 6 three-bedroom duplexes. This mix clearly targets the rental market for singles and young couples, who make up most of the demand in DLRC. The duplexes, with only six units on offer, look more like a showcase than the core of the program. That said, the extra room in the 1-bedrooms lets landlords rent to small households that need a work-from-home space.

Four elevators and three parking levels

The building runs on three levels dedicated to parking, including the two basement floors, which frees up the podium for amenities. Four high-speed elevators serve the floors, working out to roughly 55 homes per cabin, a decent ratio for a building of this height. The corridors feature chocolate brown and white checkerboard marble, and the lobby combines a reception area, a waiting lounge and a separate elevator landing. On the facade, the developer plays up wide balconies and large glazed surfaces. Studio kitchens are open to the living room, a standard choice that makes small units feel bigger.

Separate gyms for men and women

Among the amenities, two details stand out for this price segment. The first is separate gyms for men and women, on top of an indoor gym and an outdoor fitness area. This split caters to a segment of Gulf and South Asian buyers, well represented in Dubailand. The second is a padel court, along with a basketball court, a jogging track and a tennis court according to the amenities list. On the pool side, an adult pool, a kids' pool with a splash pad, cabanas and water beds round out the podium. The rooftop hosts additional lounge areas.

10% on booking, then 1% for 80 months

The payment plan is the brochure's main selling point. Buyers put down 10% upfront, then pay 1% a month over 80 months, which covers 90% of the price, with the remaining balance not detailed in the document. With handover set for late 2028, a large share of these monthly payments falls due after the keys change hands, and the developer openly frames rental income as the way to cover them. Empire Developments also mentions pre-approved zero-interest financing and a guaranteed 8% return. These claims call for a close read of the contract: how long the guarantee lasts, who manages the rental, and the exit terms. A studio's rental income in DLRC won't necessarily cover a 1% monthly installment, so the math needs checking unit by unit.

Ghani Holdings, a UAE group operating since 1995

Empire Developments belongs to Ghani Holdings, a conglomerate founded in the UAE in 1995 by Kamran Ghani. The group operates across import-export, tourism, hospitality and car trading. It moved into real estate in 2016 with Plazzo Development Real Estate. Its portfolio includes Empire Residence and Plazzo Heights in Jumeirah Village Circle, Plazzo Residence in JVT, Empire Estates in Arjan, Empire Lakeviews in Liwan and Empire Livings in Dubai Science Park. The developer stays focused on Dubai's southern mid-tier neighborhoods, with mid-sized buildings and long payment plans, a signature that Empire Gardens follows closely.

Five minutes from Silicon Oasis, 22 from the airport

DLRC connects to the city via Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Ain Road. Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, Global Village and Dubai Outlet Mall sit about five minutes away by car, which gives the area a rental pool of students and tech-sector workers. Dubai Safari Park and Meydan Racecourse are listed at 12 minutes. The international airport, Downtown Dubai and Dubai Mall are 22 minutes away outside peak hours, with Expo City and Dubai Parks and Resorts at 25 minutes. The area has no metro line, so a car remains essential, a point worth factoring into the target tenant profile.