Washington developer Douglas Jemal is spending so much time in Buffalo with his various projects that he needed a bigger home.
The founder and CEO of Douglas Development Corp., which owns Seneca One tower in downtown Buffalo, put down $1.425 million on Tuesday to buy a five-bedroom mansion on Nottingham Terrace, a block from the smaller Nottingham home he had purchased in 2017 for $949,000.
“I’m getting something larger. I expect to spend more time there,” Jemal said. “I wanted something permanent, so I can bring the whole family.”
The 7,694-square-foot mansion includes six full bathrooms, an “elegant foyer,” a “spectacular staircase,” a living room and formal dining room, a den and morning room, and a kitchen with custom cabinetry, a breakfast bar and high-end appliances, according to the listing from Howard Hanna Real Estate Services agent Karen Baker.
The house features “old world charm,” “stunning decor,” and the “finest fixtures & finishes available today,” as well as “magnificent moldings & beautiful built-ins,” the listing said.
The home sits on 1.04 acres, and a “sunny solarium opens to a sensational space,” with heated patios, an outdoor kitchen, a fireplace, a “luxurious” pool and “lavish landscaping,” Baker wrote.
Jemal is undertaking the $120 million redevelopment of Seneca One tower, the formerly vacant 38-story landmark in downtown Buffalo that is being transformed into a mixed-use hub with 115 apartments, retail shops and restaurants, and a new technology-focused office hub anchored by M&T Bank Corp.
He is also converting the former Buffalo Police Headquarters on Franklin Street into a new apartment building, and plans to remake Boulevard Mall in Amherst into a town-center destination. He also owns an industrial complex in Black Rock.
“I got a lot more going on up there,” Jemal said. “This goes to show how bullish I am on the market, that even in Covid-19 we’re going to march forward. I’m not going to let a virus get us.”
Jemal purchased the home under the name of his sons, Norman and Morris. Norman is managing principal of Douglas Development.
The seller was Jed Hunter of Shaker Heights, Ohio, through 135 Nottingham LLC.
“To me, it’s perfect. It’s got a magnificent park across the street. It’s a beautiful site,” he said. “It’s a beautiful neighborhood. The houses are just magnificent, and it’s so convenient.”
Meanwhile, Baker has the other home, an English Tudor-style mansion with four bedrooms and 4,464 square feet of space, on the market for $1.025 million.
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