UPDATED April 24, 10:52 a.m.: The head of a Wichita, Kansas-based ethanol transportation company bought a condo in the newly completed Auberge Beach Residences & Spa Fort Lauderdale’s north tower for $8.6 million.
Bob Casper and his wife Arlene bought the 4,636-square-foot condo at 2200 North Ocean Boulevard for $1,855 per square foot, records show. The seller of unit 1601 was Quebec-based Camco Real Estate.
The unit is among the first — or possibly the first — resale at the luxury condo development in Fort Lauderdale Beach. Camco Real Estate closed on the condo in August 2018, paying $6.9 million, but it is unclear when it entered into a preconstruction contract to purchase it. It now sold for almost 25 percent more than its initial sales price.
Casper is the president Poet Ethanol Products, which is one of the largest ethanol marketing companies in the country, according to media reports. His company works with ethanol producers to provide transportation, logistics and marketing for their products.
The buyer was represented by Gianpierre Giusti and Maritza Meza Giusti of Coldwell Banker’s Fort Lauderdale office.
The sale could signal strong demand for high-end luxury condos in Fort Lauderdale. It also marks a contrast from Miami where resale prices have dropped significantly amid a glut of luxury condos. Fort Lauderdale, meanwhile, has much less supply, so buyers have fewer options if they want to buy a luxury condo.
The Related Group, Fortune International Group and the Fairwinds Group developed the two-tower waterfront Auberge.
In March, the owner of the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers Vincent Viola bought two units for $10 million.
Other buyers at Auberge include Citrix CEO David Henshall, former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino and Jacob Trouba of the Winnipeg Jets. Last year, the son of Salmar Properties founder Sal Rusi paid $9.3 million for a penthouse in the north tower.