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    A Billionaire Is Taking Over a West Palm Beach Street for His Private Estate—and Neighbors Aren’t Happy

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    Paul Tudor Jones is building a sprawling waterfront estate in Florida‘s West Palm Beach, and he plans to incorporate a chunk of public street into his private domain.

    The billionaire hedge funder just won approval from the West Palm Beach City Commission to acquire a portion of Essex Court, a slender, dead-end lane in Southend—also known as the Soso neighborhood—for $220,000, Realtor.com reported. And why does he want this bit of blacktop? So he can create a private, gated compound connecting two luxury homes he’s currently building along the Intracoastal Waterway. 

    The legendary investor, worth more than $8 billion, already owns three contiguous properties he will combine into a single compound. Tax records show he picked up two side-by-side waterfront parcels for nearly $10 million in 2021—one of the lots had a modest house on it, and together they span almost 2.3 acres, and last year he shelled out another $6.4 million for a neighboring property with an existing home sitting on a .43-acre plot. With this latest land grab, Jones now controls roughly 2.7 acres—plenty of space to craft a secluded estate. 

    The section of Essex Court he’s acquiring is only about 65 feet long and does not provide access to any driveways of neighboring homes, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. His team, led by planner Brian Cheguis of iPlan & Design, made sure the plan passed muster with the city’s Plats and Review Committee, and they even got the fire department’s green light. 

    “We left 30 feet from the swale back,” Cheguis explained to the publication, adding that the gates will be set back far enough to allow some road access. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”  

    Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones is buying public street land in West Palm Beach to build his own estate.

    Getty Images

    However, not everyone is thrilled. Some neighbors are upset about losing part of the public street, fearing it will shrink available parking and make it more difficult for service trucks and emergency vehicles to access and turn around. “This guy has more money than we do, and as a billionaire, he’s probably used to getting everything he wants,” one frustrated resident told the magazine.

    Jones owns several impressive properties across the country, including a $30 million mansion in Cambridge, Maryland, and a waterfront estate in Belle Haven, Connecticut. He isn’t the first finance titan to assemble a mega-compound in South Florida, either. Citadel’s Ken Griffin famously spent years piecing together 25 acres of prime ocean-to-lake land, while Kenneth G. Tropin and William P. Lauder have also combined properties to create sprawling estates. 

    Until recently, this trend was more common in Palm Beach. But as West Palm Beach gains traction as “Wall Street South,” more and more deep-pocketed buyers are looking to put down real estate roots across the Intracoastal. And, with the new wave of ultra-wealthy moving in, the metro area’s $515,000 median home price is likely to increase considerably over the next decade. 

    Authors

    Abby Montanez

    Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      The ‘Banksy of Floral Design’ Is Selling His West Palm Beach Bungalow for $2.9 Million

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      New York-based florist Lewis Miller is known for his energetic, brightly colored floral creations, and the interiors of his home in Florida are certainly reflective of his imaginative eye, affinty for saturated color, and deft mixing and matching of eye-catching patterns. The artistic dynamo, a.k.a. the “Banksy of floral design,” is the creator of the Flower Flash—an improvisational concept in which everyday items in the public sphere, like garbage cans and phone booths, blossom into living, large-scale works of art. 

      Miller’s Sunshine State digs at 333 Pilgrim Road in West Palm Beach’s trendy SoSo neighborhood have been hoisted onto the market for a cool $2.9 million with John and Lisa Cregan of Sotheby’s International Realty. The near-century-old Spanish Mediterranean bungalow dates, built in 1926, is being offered up fully furnished, so the next owner will get to keep all of the cool antiques and charming decor. And go figure, there’s not a floral arrangement in sight! Instead, you’ll find tons of leafy greenery and lots of… birds? 

      RELATED: A Stylish Country Club Estate in South Florida Seeks $4 Million

      The teal-colored library is adorned with a series of ornithological prints hung above the striped sofa.

      Flylisted for Sotheby’s International Realty

      “I definitely wanted it to feel congruent with Florida and Palm Beach without being typical,” Miller told Palm Beach Illustrated in 2022. “The colors are also unusual with the greens and tobacco. I wanted it to have a masculine vibe, a kind of Ernest Hemingway style. Obviously, I’m a florist, so I love flora and fauna, and I try to incorporate birds in every room to pull in this English country look. It’s a true calico cat, but it feels Palm Beach without being pink and green.” 

      According to the magazine, Miller bought the spread sight unseen in September 2021; he then put the entire place through a massive renovation. “The proportions were great and so is the overall vibe of the house,” he explained to the New York Post. “I really lucked out on the timing. I bought it in the nick of time. Anything of interest was being snapped up or was priced so high that it wasn’t attainable—and I love a project.” In addition to the three-bedroom main residence, there’s a separate guesthouse containing another couple of bedrooms. 

      The wood floors in the kitchen are painted in a classic black-and-white checkerboard pattern.

      Flylisted for Sotheby’s International Realty

      RELATED: An Instagram Celeb Lists His South Florida House for $4.2 Million

      Despite its many updates, the abode still sports a slew of period details, such as a curved staircase, elaborately carved archways, and a wraparound second-floor veranda boasting the original Spanish cement tile. Of course, Miller couldn’t help but add his own flair with hand-painted wood flooring in many rooms, a kitchen sheathed in shimmering emerald green tiles, and a plethora of built-in bookcases. Out back is a petite, grassy yard and a two-story carriage house that holds two self-contained apartments, one on each floor. Both are equipped with living rooms, kitchens, and full baths. 

      So after all the effort to renovate and decorate, why is Miller parting ways with the West Palm Beach pad after only three years? “As much as I tried to move to Florida, I can’t leave New York,” he told The Post. “I don’t need a house and extra work and chaos. Maybe later. I will probably rent for a while.” 

      Click here to see more photos of 333 Pilgrim Road. 

      Flylisted for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      in Luxury

      A Stylish Country Club Estate in South Florida Seeks $4 Million

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      Way back in the 1940s, Sherle Wagner came up with the idea to open a small closet accessories shop in New York City with his wife Rose. Soon after, the pair decided to capitalize on a dearth of luxury products in the mostly functional bath market and began designing imaginative and glamorous offerings ranging from 24-carat gold-plated dolphin faucets to hand-painted basins and even gold-plated toilet seats, all of which attracted the likes of Frank Sinatra, President John F. Kennedy, King Hassan of Morocco, and Saudi billionaire Adnan Khashoggi.

      Their Manhattan-based Sherle Wagner company went on to expand internationally before selling to $2 billion home products giant Masco in 1989 for an undisclosed sum. It was around this same time that the Wagners doled out $300,000 for a 1.4-acre plot of land in South Florida, where they built a custom contemporary home. Now the late couple’s stylish West Palm Beach residence has popped up on the market for the first time in nearly four decades, asking a speck under $4 million. The listing is held by Alexa Hammer and Brian Fairweather Jr. of The Agency.

      Naturally, the Wagner’s West Palm Beach home is outfitted with the ultimate in luxury baths.

      Randy Tanner/Living Proof Real Estate Photography

      RELATED: A Prominent Restaurant Family’s Longtime Beverly Hills Home Hits the Market for $5.6 Million

      Completed in 1989 and fronted by an attached two-car garage and an extra bay for a golf cart, the all-white structure is nestled amid a cul-de-sac parcel tucked away in The Enclave, an exclusive double-gated community within West Palm Beach’s Breakers West Country Club. Inside, a palatial 5,660 square feet of living space holds five bedrooms and seven baths rife with one-of-a-kind Sherle Wagner creations, plus marble floors, soaring ceilings, bespoke cabinetry, and walls of glass overlooking scenic lake and golf course views.

      Especially standing out is an art gallery-cum-foyer that flows to a living room displaying a striking floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace. Other highlights include a formal dining room topped with a mirrored ceiling feature and a sky-lit kitchen outfitted with sleek cabinetry, an eat-in island, top-tier appliances, and a breakfast nook. There’s also a media room sporting a burl wood bookcase and a sizable primary suite with a seating area, a walk-in closet, and not one but two luxe baths.

      The resort-like grounds feature a large heated pool surrounded by a sundeck.

      Randy Tanner/Living Proof Real Estate Photography

      Rounding it all out are the lush tropical-inspired grounds, which host a large heated pool complemented by numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also an option to become a member of Breakers West Country Club, which is set within a 670-acre wildlife sanctuary and comes complete with an 18-hole Rees Jones golf course, Har-Tru tennis courts, a sports and activity complex, and several restaurants.

      After the acquisition of his company, Wagner, who maintained homes in Manhattan and West Palm Beach, remained active in the business until his death at age 79 in March 1997. His wife of 50 years passed away in July 2023. She was 104 years old.

      Click here for more photos of the Wagner’s West Palm Beach house.

      Randy Tanner/Living Proof Real Estate Photography More