[RP TownTalk] The Jemal Approach

[Marc Molino]

Seemingly surrounded by other Douglas Development properties every where I 
travel, it seems to me that Douglas Jemal's approach is not so much to 
simply leave buildings empty, but to sit on them until he gets exactly the 
tenants/profit he wants. And judging by some of his downtown D.C. projects, 
he seems content to sit and wait for up to a decade or more. Not exactly 
uplifting news, but his projects have been successful (which is probably why 
the town chose him in the first place). He owns a ridiculous amount of 
property right now (currently listing 107 properties available for lease). 
In Riverdale alone, he trying to lease the following properties:

6202-6212 Rhode Island Ave  Riverdale Town Center  Riverdale MD
6200 Baltimore Ave  Citizens Bank Bldg & Annex  Riverdale MD
6715 Kenilworth Ave  A.B.S.S. Bldg  Riverdale MD
6801 Kenilworth Ave  Berkshire Bldg  Riverdale MD
6811 Kenilworth Ave  Calvert Bldg  Riverdale MD
5711 Sarvis Ave  Crestwood Bldg  Riverdale MD

Does looking at this in view of all his Riverdale holdings (i.e., number of 
properties held and years vacant) do anything for our cause?

-Marc (4801 Queensbury)

Note: All info gathered from http://douglasdevelopment.com/










From: Alan Thompson & Sarah Wayland <twacks at his.com>
To: TownTalk <TownTalk at riverdale-park.org>
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Interesting Use of Eminent Domain
Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 21:59:49 -0400

On May 25, 2006, at 4:34 PM, Regina Kreger wrote:

 > I find it very interesting -- less for the condos, more for the
 > Douglas Development properties.

The irony, oh the irony!

The town actually acquired the Jemal properties by eminent domain under
Ann Ferguson's mayorship a number of years ago. The town then sponsored
a town center visioning process, chaired by the very adept Ann Marie
Larson. During this process, numerous town residents met over a period
of several months and created a vision of what they wanted town center
to look like. The Town (at this point now under mayor Michael Herman)
put the properties out for bid, and Mr. Jemal submitted a proposal
which clearly created just what the citizens envisioned. The Town sold
the properties to Mr. Jemal, and he renovated the buildings per his
proposal, bought out other neighboring buildings and.... left them
empty. No one thought to put a clause in the contract that the
buildings had to be occupied by viable businesses within some period of
time, with a penalty clause (and why would they? No one knew at that
time that Jemal would prefer to leave a building empty than to deal
with the hassle of actual tenants.)

Anyway, my understanding of eminent domain laws in Maryland is that the
town has to prove that the buildings are neglected *and* unimproved for
some period of time (5 years??) before they can start the process. I
know there are people on this list who can correct me if I'm wrong. :-)

<very deep sigh>

-Sarah



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