Washington, DC-based developer Douglas Jemal is hoping to gain a lease on the Hotel Henry and nine more buildings on the Richardson Olmsted Campus near Forest and Elmwood avenues in Buffalo.
Earlier this week, Jemal said he was willing to refund all deposits for people reserving space for wedding and other events at Hotel Henry. The current operator, InnVest Lodging, said it does not have the money to issue refunds.
Jemal said he will repay all the deposits, even if he does not gain a lease at the facility, but he is having trouble contacting those affected. He is asking them to provide proof of their deposit and contact his development director, Sean Heidinger, by email at sheidinger@douglasdev.com.
Opened in 2017 on the historic Richardson site to spark additional development in former state psychiatric buildings, Hotel Henry permanently closed Feb. 27. Jemal has been purchasing and renovating many Buffalo landmarks in recent years, including the One Seneca Tower, Statler City and the former Buffalo Police Headquarters.
