Miami Beach mansion once owned by Al Capone demolished

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A mansion in Miami Beach once owned by gangster Al Capone was demolished earlier this month despite efforts to save the century-old residence.

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The single-family residence at 93 Palm Ave. on Palm Island had been scheduled for demolition since September 2021, the Miami Herald reported. The site was leveled 10 days ago, according to the newspaper.

The waterfront Spanish-style estate was built by brewing magnate Clarence Busch in 1922, according to WPLG-TV. Capone, Chicago’s crime boss during the Prohibition era, bought the 30,000-square-foot property in 1928, the Herald reported.

Capone was eventually jailed on tax evasion charges, but returned to the home after he left prison. He died there in 1947, according to the newspaper.

The mobster’s wife, Mae Capone, sold the residence in 1952, the Herald reported. The property was sold in 2021 to 93 Palm Residence LLC, managed by Coral Gables accountant Toni Alam, for $15.5 million, WPLG reported.

The residence had a main house, a guest building and a pool house, according to the Herald. It had nine bedrooms, six bathrooms and two half-bathrooms, property records show. The 6,077-square-foot residence sat on a 30,000-square-foot lot, according to property records.

The home was demolished despite the efforts of South Florida preservationists to save it.

“What we believe is that we need to remember all the different parts of our history, whether they are good or bad,” Daniel Ciraldo, executive director of the Miami Design Preservation League, told the newspaper. “This is now a cautionary tale of what happens when we don’t have the right protections and incentives in place.”

The property owner requested a demolition permit from the city of Miami Beach, which was issued on July 20, according to the Herald.