[RP TownTalk] Doug Jemal and the Beatles

[David Hiles]

My messages to this list are being moderated because I was judged to  
have violated the posting standards.
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Jemal owns Uline Arena, where the Beatles played (near Union Station).   
Interesting comment regarding how he deals with planners' opinions.

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Uline is now owned by Doug Jemal, the megadeveloper recently acquitted  
of bribing city officials. Jemal says that because of economic factors,  
he has no current plans to do anything with the Uline site and isn’t  
against an historic designation.

“I think the city would like to see residential there, and I don’t feel  
the residential market is there now,” he says. “So, it’ll sit.”

Layman says Jemal might be local preservationists’ favorite developer,  
citing the Chinatown Fuddruckers and a Harris Teeter planned for Adams  
Morgan as surroundings-friendly construction projects Jemal has led.  
But he’s not going to risk leaving everything to Jemal’s whimsy. If the  
board grants Layman’s wish, Jemal or any other developer would be  
unable to tear down Uline to make way for condos or an office high-rise  
or, well, another Fuddruckers.

“I’m a preservationist, and I’m into history and authenticity,” says  
Layman. “That doesn’t mean I’m against development. I just happen to  
think it’s good to save old buildings. The only thing that the board is  
empowered to consider is the architectural and historical significance  
of a building—that’s broken down to significant connections to people,  
as well as events.”

******************snip

from the washington city paper  
(http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cheap/2006/cheap1110.html? 
navCenterTop)