Manhattan Islamic Center Developer Calls Furor ‘Blessing’
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The developer of an Islamic center in lower Manhattan said that controversy over its proximity to the World Trade Center was an “incredible blessing,” giving him access to capital from around the world.
“The greatest advantage that I have is overnight I have turned into a public figure,” Sharif El-Gamal, chairman and chief executive officer of New York-based Soho Properties, said at a conference sponsored by brokerage Massey Knakal Realty Services. “I literally have a whole P.R. team that fields my interview requests.”