Check Out Ziff Publishing Family’s $195 Million Mansion in Manalapan, FL
The property located at 2000 South Ocean Boulevard in Manalapan, Florida was listed on the real estate market for $195 million making this the most expensive listing in the United States. The estate is known as “Gemini Estate” and was privately listed by Christie’s International Real Estate. The palatial home and property was listed by the Ziff Publishing family. The Ziff family is worth billions and the estate is fit for billionaires.
Gemini Estate Selling for $195 Million
The Ziff Family’s estate, better known as “Gemini Estate” sits on more than 15.65 acres set between the Atlantic Ocean and the Inter-coastal Waterway in Manalapan, Palm Beach County, Florida. The property was reportedly listed at $195 million but was taken off the market recently. The town is known for its many wealthy residents and is conveniently located just a 20 minute drive from Palm Beach’s airport and just 60 miles north of Miami.
85,000 Square Feet Estate
Originally designed by Gloria Sims Wyeth and built in the 1940’s, the Mediterranean style estate had over 62,000 square feet. After extensive renovations were completed in 2003, the main house now has 85,000 square feet of residential space. The main house is intersected by a roadway between the Inter-coastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Today the house features an underground gallery that extends underneath the roadway. Privacy is not a problem as the ground’s extensive landscaping and walls keep the residence completely private and secluded from the outside world.
The main house’s underground gallery connects the palatial home between the inter-coastal side which features a beautiful pool area to a sky-lit foyer facing the Atlantic Ocean. The gallery has several areas where residents and guests can enjoy quite sitting areas, a library, a media room, offices, a professional kitchen and even a golf practice room. In total, the main house on the estate has 12 bedrooms. The palatial home features French doors that open onto Italian style Loggias that blend the indoors to the outdoors seamlessly. All bedrooms in the home open out to the pool or the ocean. On the pool side of the mansion, rooms open to the grotto pool terrace which features fountains and lush vegetation. Throughout the home, warm tropical wood with stone finishes is a feature. There are also natural shell and stone columns with coral stones to provide the tropical and elegant feeling of the home.
16 Acre Property
The Ziff Family Gemini Estate’s nearly 16 acres are both scenic and private. The property is perfect for the family and visitors. The property is comparable to a luxury resort yet even more private. The property features 1,200 square feet of beach along the magnificent Atlantic Ocean. On the other end, the property includes 1,300 feet of waterfront along the Inter-coastal Waterway.
Landscaping throughout the property continues to age beautifully and features 1,500 species of tropical plants and trees. These include Palms, Cycads, Fig Trees, Orchids, Bromeliads and Vines. Along with access to the private beach and private area bordering the Inter-coastal Waterway, Gemini Estates has amazing property for relaxation or play. There is a pool, tennis court, half basketball court, miniature golf course, playground and even a replica of Robin Caruso’s tree house on the property as well as many areas to simply stroll and enjoy the privacy and natural beauty of southern eastern coast Florida. Aside from the estate’s main house, the Ziff home has a Guest House, “Mango House”, 2 Seaside Guest Cottages and a Manager’s House. The “Mango House” is not small. It features 7 bedrooms with beautiful views. The Ziff property also has 2 beautifully appointed guest cottages. The Property Manager’s home is also located on the grounds.
History of Gemini Estate
The Ziff Family are not the only wealthy family to own the magnificent, palatal Gemini Estate. The estate was built in the 1940’s for the Lambert family. They owned the Lambert Pharmaceutical Company. The home was Mediterranean home was designed by Marian Sims Wyeth who went on to design several other Manalapan mansions. The Gemini Estate was later sold to Loel Guinness and his wife Gloria who used the estate as their seasonal home, often entertaining. Guinness was a British politician and brother to the founder of the Guinness Brewery. The estate hosted many celebrities and royalty including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Truman Capote named it one of the “Swans”, estates that hosted the rich and famous. Between 1999 and 2003, Gemini Estate went through a major renovation completed William Ziff Jr.’s death in 2006. The renovation was led by Edison E. Dailey, Jr.
Who are the Ziff Family?
William B. Ziff founded a successful Advertising Agency in Chicago early on in the twentieth century. William B. Ziff Company acquired many popular advertising accounts at the height of the 1920’s. In 1927 William Ziff partnered with his advertising partner, Bernard George Davis and established Ziff Davis Publishing Company. The company focused on hobbyist print which focused on advertisements. Ziff Davis Publishing Company landed accounts with hobbyist magazines related to cars, photography and electronics. When William Ziff Sr. died in 1953 he left his company to his son, William Jr. In 1958 Bernard Davis sold his half of the company to William Ziff Jr. William Ziff Jr. carried on the family publishing business and expanded it over the decades to include computer related magazines, broadcast companies and, later, websites. William Ziff Jr., his wife Tamsen and their sons, Dirk, Robert and Daniel continued to elevate Ziff Publishing and created a net worth of $14.3 billion. The family sold the publishing company and continued to fucus on their investments. When not working in New York City and London, the entire Ziff Family enjoyed spending time at Gemini Estates. Whether relaxing with all of their family members, old and young, or entertaining friends and celebrities, the Gemini Estate continues to provide the family with much joy and serenity.
