The Miami home where Al Capone took his final breath in 1947 after suffering a heart attack is being saved from demolition after a spirited campaign by šlocals was launched to preserve the estate.
The property traded hands for a whopping $15.5 million, records show, on Sept. 24. The sale comes only weeks after it was purchased by developers Todd Michael Glaser and his business ļ·½partner Nelsonļ·½ Gonzalez in August for $10.75 million.
At the time, Glaser told the of his plans to tear down tš°he 7,500-square-foot Palm Island residšence in favor of a modern build.
Despite Caponeās nefarious reputation and criminal history, an online petition with over 25,000 signatures was startedš¬ to stop the development.
āMiami Beach risks losing an important part of not just our local history, but of US history if this demolition is allowed to proceed,ā organizers said in the petition. āThe loss of this landmark structure and its replacement with a new oversized home will have a longš„-term negative impact on the community.ā
The petition led the developers to withdraw their application to thź¦e local Design Review Boš§ard, which would have decided if the home could be torn down, in mid-September.
In an interview with the , ź§ they likened the recent sale of the property to winning the lottery.
The Brooklyn-born gangster purchased the seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in 1928 for $40,000. It was built in 19š±22.
Fully renovated and remodeled in 2015, theš¦© home has been on and off the market since 2018.
The Spanish Colonial-style waterfront mansion features views of Biscayne Bay, and boasts a privašte beach, a gatehouse and a 30-by-60-foot pool with a cabana, according to the listing.
The tropically landscaped propź¦°erty consists of three separate structures: the maą¼ŗin house, guest house and pool house.
