Jorge and Darlene Pérez, prominent Miami philanthropists, have made a significant contribution to local charities by donating their luxury condominium in Miami Beach to the Miami Foundation. This charitable nonprofit, which supports various community organizations in the area, announced the generous gift on Monday.
The donated property, located in the One Ocean Avenue building, was sold on June 25 for $10 million with the assistance of the prestigious luxury real estate team, The Jills Zeder Group. The Miami Foundation has earmarked all proceeds from the sale to support local arts, culture, and economic development initiatives.
This donation comes at a critical time for Miami's nonprofit sector, following Governor Ron DeSantis' recent veto of $32 million in grant funding for arts and cultural organizations. The Pérez family's contribution will help mitigate some of the financial challenges faced by these organizations due to the funding cuts.
Jorge Pérez, a well-known real estate developer and art collector, expressed his hopes that this donation would inspire others to leverage their resources for the greater good of the community. The couple has a long-standing relationship with the Miami Foundation, having worked with the organization for over a decade and contributing more than $135 million in total.
This is not the first time the Pérez family has made such a significant property donation. In 2021, they donated their Coconut Grove residence, which sold for a record-breaking $33 million. That donation was the largest ever received by the Miami Foundation and one of the most substantial philanthropic gifts in Miami's history.
The donated Miami Beach condo is a luxurious 4-bedroom, 6-bathroom unit on the seventh floor of the One Ocean Avenue building, boasting 3,339 square feet of living space. The property had been listed for sale multiple times since 2020, with asking prices ranging from $13.9 million to $11.9 million before finally selling for $10 million as part of this charitable donation.
Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, President and CEO of the Miami Foundation, highlighted the Pérez family's long-standing commitment to philanthropy and their significant contributions to the foundation over the years. The Pérez Family Foundation operates under the Miami Foundation's umbrella, further solidifying their partnership in supporting local causes.
This donation exemplifies a growing trend among high-net-worth individuals to contribute significant assets, such as real estate, directly to charitable organizations. Such gifts can provide substantial support to community initiatives while potentially offering tax benefits to the donors. The Pérez family's continued generosity serves as an inspiring example of how private wealth can be leveraged to address pressing community needs and support vital cultural and economic development programs in Miami.
