History and Background


Douglas Jemal, President
Douglas Jemal was born in Brooklyn, New York, and came to Washington, DC, in 1966. Mr. Jemal began his career in the retail trade with a small store on 7th Street, NW. He soon expanded into the electronics and music business. By the mid-1980’s he had created one of the most successful retail electronics chains in the nation.

Mr. Jemal branched into real estate in the early 1980’s, purchasing his first parcel at 425 7th Street, NW, in 1981. Since then he has focused on purchasing and developing distinctive commercial properties in urban areas such as: Wonder Plaza (the former Wonder Bread bakery) near Howard University; Jemal’s Park & Shop (on Connecticut Ave, the oldest strip shopping center on the east coast); the historic block of 7th street between G and H streets in Chinatown; and the historic Woodward & Lothrop (Woodies) Building at Metro Center. Mr. Jemal believes in the hands-on approach to development and he is actively involved on a personal basis in the design, construction and leasing of all his properties.

Mr. Jemal is particularly noted for his unprecedented success in preserving historic architecture while transforming properties into viable and successful retail, office and residential sites. Mr. Jemal’s retail background provides him with valuable insight into the needs of the eventual tenant during the construction process, as well as with the proper mix and placement of tenants once leasing commences.

Norman Jemal began his career in real estate in the early 1990’s. Mr. Jemal currently directs all of the leasing activity for the company. Throughout his career he has negotiated and leased over five million square feet of space with a cumulative value of over one billion dollars. As a principal with the company, Mr. Jemal is involved in all aspects of the business including acquisitions and dispositions, development, finance and corporate strategic planning.

Over the years, Douglas Development has grown into a fully integrated real estate company with over 125 employees. Between 1990 and 2007, Douglas Development has expanded its commercial portfolio from less than 250,000 square feet to over eight million square feet, and expanded its portfolio from 15 properties to over 180. During the past decade, acquisition and development has focused on both suburban and downtown properties and the portfolio has expanded into both the Richmond, Virginia, and Frederick, Maryland markets.

However, Douglas Development’s most notable, visible and well known projects are in the East End of Washington, DC, and have served as the catalysts for the redevelopment of the entire area. Besides 7th Street Row (Chinatown) and the Historic Woodies Building, other East End signature properties include: 950 F Street (The Atlantic Building); 800 F Street (Historic Row – home of the International Spy Museum); 1155 F Street; 509 7th Street; 912 F Street (Ventana); and 901 7th Street. With a current portfolio of over eight million leaseable square feet and over four million square feet of developable real estate in the pipeline, Douglas Development is well established as one of the most dominant and successful real estate developers in the Washington Metropolitan Area.