The most expensive apartment in the USA and the former headquarters of MI6. The billionaire bought two unusual properties
Ken Griffin has just bought the most expensive apartment in the US. Three days ago, he also bought the estate where James Bond’s colleagues were based.
Ken Griffin, the billionaire founder of the Citadel hedge fund, shook up the real estate market once again this week. He has just announced that he bought an apartment in New York for $238 million. Taking into account the current dollar exchange rate, converted into Polish zlotys it is over PLN 897 million. According to Griffin’s spokesman, this is a new American record for the most expensive real estate.
However, the price of the apartment should not be surprising. It will be located in the tower being built in the immediate vicinity of Central Park at 220 Central Park South. Due to housing prices, the area around Central Park has been called billionaires’ alley for years. According to media reports, the construction of the high-rise building in which the above-mentioned apartment will be located will cost a total of over USD 1.3 billion. The building will contain several apartments with a market value exceeding USD 200 million.
Be like James Bond
However, this is not Griffin’s first spectacular investment this week. On Monday, he announced the purchase of a London estate near Buckingham Palace. Interestingly, this house, which was built in 1820, was for many years the headquarters of MI6, the British intelligence service known, for example, from James Bond films. Griffin’s British estate is on the list of historic monuments and cost the billionaire approximately £145 million, or over PLN 713 million.
The property has undergone major renovation in recent years. As a result, the house was enriched with, among others, a swimming pool, rooms for staff and a private garden. Legend has it that MI6 used the house when recruiting new candidates. The splendor of the interior was intended to make it easier to convince new agents to join the intelligence service.