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For many Dubai residents, Lamcy Plaza was more than a shopping mall. It was a meeting place, a weekend destination and, for some, part of everyday life.
Now, almost a decade after it closed, the Oud Metha landmark is preparing to welcome visitors again — this time under a new name.
The former Lamcy Plaza is set to reopen as The Plaza, with the new mall tentatively targeting the first or second quarter of 2027, according to a representative who spoke to Gulf News.
That means the reopening could take place between January and June next year, although an exact date has not yet been announced.
The property is now under the asset management of Azure Properties, and recent work on the building’s exterior has signalled a new chapter for the long-closed landmark. Details about the new tenants, layout and facilities have yet to be announced.
A Dubai landmark since 1997
Lamcy Plaza opened in Oud Metha in 1997, when Dubai’s retail landscape looked very different.
The mall became one of the city’s early community shopping destinations, attracting families and residents with its shops, cinemas, hypermarket and food court. It eventually expanded to more than 150 stores across five levels.
Long before Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates became household names, Lamcy Plaza was a familiar weekend destination for many residents.
For people from the subcontinent, in particular, it became a popular place to meet friends, have Indian chai, eat biryani, samosas and chaat, and spend time together.
In a 2025 Gulf News article, I recalled how Lamcy Plaza felt less like a commercial centre and more like a home away from home, with weekend visits, family outings, movie nights and cricket screenings becoming cherished memories.
The clown, the waterfall and the memories
Some of Lamcy Plaza’s most memorable features were not its shops.
Children who visited the mall in the late 1990s and 2000s may remember the colourful rope-climbing clown that travelled through the central atrium. The attraction became one of the mall’s most recognisable features, with parents often using it as a meeting point.
Another much-remembered feature was the cascading indoor waterfall, which stretched across several floors and became a popular backdrop for family photographs.
Whether these features will return remains unknown.
The Plaza has not yet announced whether the clown, waterfall or elements of the original central atrium will form part of the new mall.
The fire that changed everything
Lamcy Plaza’s long run came to an abrupt halt in March 2017, when a fire broke out at the mall.
The building remained closed, and what had once been a busy community destination stood largely empty for years.
For former visitors, the closed building became a reminder of a different era of Dubai — one in which neighbourhood malls played a much bigger role in residents’ social lives.
The property eventually changed hands after being sold at auction for Dh188.7 million in September 2025, marking another significant step towards its redevelopment.
A new chapter in 2027
Now, the building is visibly being transformed, with the name The Plaza signalling a fresh identity for the site.
The exact mix of shops, restaurants, entertainment options and other facilities has not yet been revealed.
But for former Lamcy Plaza visitors, the announcement carries a sense of nostalgia — and curiosity about what will remain from the place they remember.
The mall that once welcomed generations of Dubai residents is preparing to open its doors again.
This time, it will be called The Plaza.
And for those who remember Lamcy Plaza, the big question is whether any part of the old magic — including that famous climbing clown — will make a comeback.
