Former Anheuser-Busch Estate in Fort Lauderdale Asks $19.25 Million
From the Anheuser-Busch family to a Canadian TV star, this historic Florida retreat has seen its share of celebrity owners.
Known as Manga Reva, the palatial Fort Lauderdale estate was built by Adolphus Busch III, then president and chief executive of Anheuser-Busch, in 1938. Situated on the Intracoastal Waterway, this 14,000-square-foot Mediterranean-inspired home has been in the hands of Michael Wekerle, a Canadian banker and reality-television celebrity, since 2014. According to listing agent Ruchel Coetzee, Wekerle recently decided to part with the home due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.
The eight-bedroom and nine-bathroom home, designed for the brewing dynasty by architect Francis Abreu, was also featured in some scenes in the 1960 comedy Where the Boys Are, a film about a raucous spring break in Fort Lauderdale.
While many original details—stone columns, inlaid wooden floors, decorative tilework, and a huge Banyan tree—remain, the home’s bathrooms and electrical systems have all been updated. Bold, modern flourishes like the bright-red billiards room were the work of Wekerle.
Manga Reva is currently listed by Douglas Elliman for a cool $19.25 million. Wekerle’s art collection, which is valued between $2.5 million and $3 million, is also for sale.
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