Billionaire Ken Griffin just moved his hedge fund Citadel to Miami and one in every of his first orders of business was to ask the city to remove the previous home of historic statesman William Jennings Bryan from his property.
Villa Serena, the house of the three-time presidential candidate, who served within the House of Representatives from 1891 to 1895 and because the Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson, is one in every of two homes positioned on the estate Griffin, 54, paid a Miami record $106 million for in September, the Miami Herald reported.
He purchased the four-acre waterfront property in Coconut Grove from philanthropist Adrienne Arsht.
Arsht, who is understood in Miami for her $30 million contribution to town’s performing arts center, spent a major amount renovating the house, which she used as a guest house and for social gatherings.
Griffin, who’s value over $31 billion, has a city agency looking into accepting the compound as a donation and relocating it.
Nonetheless, historians and preservationists from the world say that such a move is not going to only devalue the 1913 mansion, but additionally put it at risk of harm or collapse.
Citadel spokesman Zia Ahmed told the outlet that Griffin wants the property to sooner or later be opened for public use for the primary time in its history.
“That is just an idea within the very early stages straight away,” Ahmed said. “Ken’s team is exploring potential options wherein most people would for the primary time have the ability to go to and see this historic home at a distinct location.”