# Recommended Apartments in Motor City



## stamboy (Apr 1, 2013)

Exploring the option of moving to Motor City and am looking for some feedback on what apartments to go for or avoid! would prefer ones close to the new Gems school, the nearer the better really.

Thanks


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## FourAgreements (Mar 19, 2014)

We live in Barton House 2, on Barton St. in Uptown Motor City. So we are near the end closest to the Kartdrome and I think the GEMS school is a stone's throw away.

The Kartdrome produces a little noise, nothing unbearable IMO, but it may be louder in Barton House 1. The Autodrome also produces some noise on weekends, but again nothing serious or that prevents us from using our balcony. The 24H Dubai race was just here in January - that provoked a lot of complaining from the complainers. The noise from the 4-minute long fireworks display had some people losing their minds on Facebook.

We've been here since Oct. and love it. Barton Houses 1 & 2 seem to be pretty quiet, I'm fortunate to have great neighbours, families that own their apts. and are quite quiet overall. I've read complaints from others about noise and other issues in their buildings, but so far I haven't seen anyone complaining about these 2 buildings - at least not on the Facebook pages for the area.

The landscaping here is lovely, the pools are heated to 31 degrees, I hear the sounds of birds chirping, dogs being walked and barking, children playing, children crying (especially between the 'witching hours' of 5 and 7 pm - I think they don't want to leave the playground...).

But I DON'T hear a lot of traffic noise, especially low if you don't overlook one of the internal roads. We overlook a foot path. Went for a walk last night at 10 pm, the place was VERY quiet. A little bit livelier on the weekends, apparently some people who have the massive terraces in the Foxhill Apts. make the most of them, ie. trampolines, table tennis, parties, etc.

Easy walk to Spinney's and the other shops along the strip. Bus to MOE every 20 minutes most of the day. Carrefour Market and other shops a short drive away. Easy highway access, 15-20 minute drive to MOE.

What's missing? Bars or pubs. No where to buy alcohol to my knowledge - but we also haven't sought it. This may be resolved with the new retail area that's currently under construction around the Kartdrome.

Overall, a real respite from the craziness that is Dubai.





stamboy said:


> Exploring the option of moving to Motor City and am looking for some feedback on what apartments to go for or avoid! would prefer ones close to the new Gems school, the nearer the better really.
> 
> Thanks


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## kmdxb (Jan 19, 2014)

I'm in Norton Court 3, which is one of the internal courts which is separated from the main road - overlooking a central courtyard, no traffic noise, and even when there are race events on etc you don't hear much from that.

The internal sound proofing is poor in this building though, I hear constant footsteps from the apartment upstairs, and the apartment next door likes to have their TV on very loud at night until between midnight and 1 am most days (I've been working up by them at 4am before now - could even tell what program they where watching...). 

There is a small MMI (licensed alcohol shop) next to the Spinneys supermarket.

I've been here since August, and would like to stay as it's a nice area, but unfortunately given the noise from the neighbours I will be moving out soon.


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## stamboy (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, Barton house sounds good. kmdxb sorry to hear you're having problems with noise and inconsiderate neighbours. I think we would avoid Norton as we have a toddler and wouldn't want him annoying neighbours if the walls are thin.

Are there any parks in Motor City?


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

stamboy said:


> Thanks for the replies, Barton house sounds good. kmdxb sorry to hear you're having problems with noise and inconsiderate neighbours. I think we would avoid Norton as we have a toddler and wouldn't want him annoying neighbours if the walls are thin. Are there any parks in Motor City?


My friends live there. It's very green - loads of trees and pedestrian areas for the kids. It's great to go out with the dogs and they can run around and it has a real community feel. People walk out with their families. People speak to one another. I really like it there. Parking for visitors and a second car would probably be my only negative observation. Oh yes and perhaps the bugs. There seem to be quite an abundance of biting insects there


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## FourAgreements (Mar 19, 2014)

Kmdxb,

I'm sorry to hear the noise is so bad. That really sucks... it makes me wonder if all the buildings are the same, though, in terms of build quality, and it just depends on 'luck of the draw' with neighbours and/or apt. layout.

I do hear noise. I hear a lot of footsteps from above. They seem to have a heavy footfall or wear shoes indoors, I'm not sure... if I had to put up with a loud tv or sound system night after night, I would probably be really annoyed.

I think one of our neighbours had a colicky baby, as I could hear frequent crying when I was in our half-bath off our foyer, which shares a wall with their foyer. Fortunately, it was not audible anywhere else in our apt. and I don't hear it any more - he's older now and has probably grown out of it. (I felt bad for the mother...)

On the other hand, we had company in January sleeping in our living room and they mentioned being woken up once by a very loud sound system in the middle of the night. But I've never heard it, before or since.

Our other neighbour seemed to know that our bedroom shared a wall with their apt., and we don't have a tv in there. Not sure how she figured that out :eyebrows: but I've never heard a peep from their side.

Both of those families have other children and I can hear them out in the hallway sometimes. But they've never been out there playing for hours, and I've only ever gone out and shushed them once, late at night over the holidays. And I did that with a smile on my face, and a "please..." they giggled and ran into their apt.

(I remember what it was like to be a kid living in an apt. At least we were allowed to go out and play all day, but omg the things we did    I can't imagine the number of people we annoyed with our hootin' and hollerin' and running about. So thankful I grew up before the internet and the age of naming and shaming.)



kmdxb said:


> The internal sound proofing is poor in this building though, I hear constant footsteps from the apartment upstairs, and the apartment next door likes to have their TV on very loud at night until between midnight and 1 am most days (I've been working up by them at 4am before now - could even tell what program they where watching...).
> 
> There is a small MMI (licensed alcohol shop) next to the Spinneys supermarket.
> 
> I've been here since August, and would like to stay as it's a nice area, but unfortunately given the noise from the neighbours I will be moving out soon.


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## FourAgreements (Mar 19, 2014)

One more thing. I personally would avoid any of the buildings that have a road going through/under them, especially if I had a child. Widcombe House I is one example. The main exits open onto those pass-throughs and there's no sidewalk. Very little room for error or for little toddlers rushing out into the great big outdoors. And of course, there are the Dubai drivers driving through them...






stamboy said:


> I think we would avoid Norton as we have a toddler and wouldn't want him annoying neighbours if the walls are thin.


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