The home was built in 1938.
Michael Wekerle, CEO of Toronto-based Difference Capital and the newest star of CBC’s Dragon’s Den, recently purchased an estate once owned by the Anheuser-Busch family in Fort Lauderdale, FL for US$12.5 million.
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate sales associate Tim Elmes of the company’s Fort Lauderdale Las Olas office handled the sale. The home was built in 1938 for the Anheuser-Busch family. Designed by Francis Abreu, protégé of Addison Mizner, the 12,533-square-foot estate encompasses six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and four half bathrooms. Located on an Intracoastal point lot, it has 525 feet of deep water frontage with wide water views, and is one of the largest waterfront properties in East Fort Lauderdale. Wekerle also owns another residential property in Fort Lauderdale, which was just listed for $10 million with Elmes.
The home is on a 52,896-square-foot lot. Unique outdoor features include an oversized lap pool, outdoor band shell with sprawling lawns, 12-foot-privacy hedges, banyan trees and ample waterfront dockage, says a Coldwell Banker news release. There is a two-bedroom guest home on the property in addition to a media room, chef’s kitchen and a gym in the main house. The most recent upgrades to the home include double-glazed hurricane impact windows. Wekerle will be the seventh owner of this estate, which has not been owned by an Anheuser-Busch family member since the late 1960s.
A view of the media room
“I have been a Florida resident for 25 years. My late wife fell in love with this house at first sight. We would take boat rides on the Intercoastal and were enchanted with this estate and its spectacular view. This house represents both emotional and physical value. My family and I look forward to creating many memories at this historical home,” says Wekerle.
His company manages and invests in a variety of businesses. Wekerle has personally invested in commercial properties in Fort Lauderdale and the Canadian rights to Mark Wahlberg’s burger franchise, Wahlburgers.
“There is nothing quite like working with a skilled and successful CEO. He is the kind of buyer who knows what he wants and goes for it. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Michael on the purchase of this estate and the listing of his current home,” says Elmes.
