Founder's Bio

Gal Sela, Real Estate Developer, Founder and President

Gal Sela started his real estate career in the 1990’s. After noticing the potential of an emerging real estate market, he founded The Sela Group in 1998 which developed and constructed ground up and adaptive reuse conversions throughout New York City. With over 20 years of real estate experience, The Sela Group is a New York based real estate and hospitality firm specializing in the acquisition, development construction and management of hospitality, lifestyle, residential and commercial assets. Sela’s reputation is built on experience, creativity and entrepreneurial drive. The successful project execution has culminated in a unique and diversified portfolio of high quality, full-service hotels and commercial real estate holdings located in emerging markets. 

Sela’s investment strategy in urban enclaves such as Long Island City, Greenpoint, Bushwick and Navy Yards is primarily geared towards transforming neighborhoods into “go-to” destinations. Every location injects a chic, modern aesthetic into the classic archetype of the lifestyle hotel: complete with world-class restaurants, vibrant nightlife, wellness and fitness centers as well as rooms comfortable enough to serve as a second home. Since its inception, The Sela Group has formed a proud history of creating quality projects, managing with integrity and harvesting value for its investors and partners. Its goal – creating and enhancing capital values.

Construction Arm

Sela Group Construction Arm

Hospitality Arm

Sela Group Hospitality Arm

Isabel Colon

Operations, The Sela Group

Isabel Colon is responsible for the overall management and performance of Sela Group’s portfolio. Colon oversees all aspects of operations for all of Sela Group’s brands, from supporting the company’s active commitment to operational excellence throughout all of its brands to facilitating the collaborative team effort between operations, sales, and revenue management for its real estate and hospitality divisions. Colon has extensive experience in all facets of hospitality management and managing properties nation-wide.

Sophia Goodman

Operations, The Sela Group

Sophia Goodman is charged with leading Sela Group’s internal operations team which provides service and leadership to Sela Group’s full portfolio of hotels and real estate residential and commercial properties. Goodman brings more than 15 years of experience to Sela Group with proven ability to provide strategic sales, financial and operational leadership.

Engin Beri

Digital Experience, The Sela Group

Engin Beri is an award-winning designer and is directly responsible for web, digital media, graphic design, video and creative marketing for Sela Group. He oversees design and overall imagery for all properties of Sela Group. As a Digital Marketing Strategist and Technologist Beri lives at the crossroads of technology and marketing. He brings over 15 years of extensive experience in conceptualizing and creating digital-marketing solutions that utilize an ever-expanding technology toolset in web, interactive, video, rich media, and social media.

Jeigh Hall

Brand Development

Jeigh Hall leads Brand Development initiatives by developing and managing marketing plans and campaigns across television, print, social, mobile and integrated digital media for all of the Sela Group brands. Jeigh is equipped with a strong entrepreneurial brand development history along with seven years of experience in strengthening and synchronizing multimedia production and communication efforts for both the private and public sector. He acts as a key facilitator in building strong relationships between the Sela Group’s properties and their clients, colleagues, investors and diverse market groups.