BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Douglas Jemal has taken a liking to Buffalo.
“Let's get the ‘Roaring 20's’ going, again. Let's get Buffalo going, again,” said Jemal inside his first Buffalo property, Seneca One Tower.
Whilereimbursing checks to couples who lost their deposit to the Hotel Henry, he provided an update to some of his other high-profile properties and the ones he's eyeing.
The Hotel Henry closed this winter. Jemal is still working to acquire the property, and will be begin work immediately, if he does.
“It’s a work in progress,” said Jemal. “We're not there yet and it's in negotiation. I think we’re close, but close only matters in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
The Hyatt Regency in Downtown Buffalo is another property Jemal is taking stepsto acquire. He has been going through the foreclosure process in court. The next foreclosure motion will be in front of NYS Supreme Court later this month. Jemal expects the sale to officially happen at the end of August.
“It's probably weeks away, not months,” said Jemal.
If all goes well for Jemal, and he acquires the property, the hotel will be back open soon.
“It'll be open this summer,” added Jemal.
Jemal has owned the Statler for over a year. He says major progress is being made, and expects the property be bustling by the summer of 2022.
“We hope to be complete in 12 months and we hope to have in excess of 1,000 people living and making it a living downtown,” said Jemal.
Jemal's other properties include the old Buffalo police headquarters and the boulevard mall.
