Sharif el-Gamal Spent Eight Years Negotiating Purchase, and Originally Planned To Build Condo Complex, Not Ground Zero Mosque?

A waiter 5 years ago? Not according to SoHo Properties web archive:
2006 website page identifies Soho Properties Executive Team:

“Sharif El-Gamal, Chairman and CEO, founded Soho Properties in 2003 to focus on commercial real estate capital markets, and tail leasing. Sharif is known for negotiating aggressively, fairly and intelligently. Under Sharif’s leadership, Soho Properties was ranked in the top 25 New York City investment sales brokerage firms for 2005.
Sharif began his real estate career in 2000 and has originated for acquisition or disposition virtually every real estate asset type, including loft buildings, development sites, and retail properties of all shapes and sizes. He has been involved in a number of multimillion dollar transactions for clients including Angelo, Gordon & Co. Centaur Properties, Centurion Properties, DCD Capital, The Sapir Organization, and Vornado Realty Trust among many others.
Sharif supports a variety of local and national philanthropic organizations. He is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York.

BTW:

In July 2009, the real estate company and developer Soho Properties, led by Sharif El-Gamal purchased the Burlington building

“, initially planning to build a condominium complex at the site.”

and
The deception was not a simple offer/purchase:

“El-Gamal didn’t spring this on the neighborhood. He says it took eight years to negotiate the purchase. “

–so how many palms were greased in this eight year period?