Financier John Donahue's luxurious Florida estate is on the market for a staggering $295 million. If sold, it will be the most expensive property sold in the United States.
Donahue had spotted an uninhabited piece of land along the Gulf of Mexico in the 1980s. He pointed to the tip of the peninsula known as Gordon Point and told his wife, Rhodora, “I want to go there.” He then paid $1 million for the 4.3-acre property, which contained nothing but a small fisherman's cottage.
This was in 1985. As time went on, they increased not only the size of their family, but also that of their home. The 4 acres became approximately 60 acres, and the center was now a huge beach "resort" for their large family of 13 children and 84 grandchildren.
This real estate gem includes an 11,500-square-foot main residence built circa 1989. It is accompanied by two additional houses, built in 1990 and in 2013. On the Keewaydin Island site, the family built another 16,000-square-foot home in 2005. In 2019, this home sold for more than $45 million.
The bustling estate has hosted the likes of former US President George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara. “We called the room they stayed in the Presidential Suite,” Bill Donahue told the Wall Street Journal in an exclusive interview. At least 100 people gathered on the property for Friday and Saturday night gatherings, Halloween parties, Easter egg hunts, and various celebrations, he said.
“I’m sure there were many instances where every bed in every room was occupied,” Donahue added. The estate, with 1,650 feet of waterfront and a private marina with a T-berth, may be on the market with an asking price of $295 million, but the life it offered its owners was truly priceless!
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