Image via Complex Original
Just when you think Jay Z and Beyonce have got it all, "big ends, condos, collecting cars," they are off looking at a new beach home in Hawaii or a swanky penthouse in New York. Since 2002, the couple has splurged on properties of all sizes, from a 190-square-foot cabana in Miami to a 65,000-square-foot mansion in East Hampton. As they pad-hop from Pacific paradises to big city lofts, Beyonce and Jay Z add more living space to their lavish lives, crossing homes that once housed Cher, Ricky Martin, Michael Jackson, and Madonna.
It's hard to keep up with Jay Z and Beyonce's property interests when they are fluttering between beachfront nirvana and Columbus Circle. To make things easier, we've chronicled A Short History of Jay Z and Beyonce's Lavish Real Estate Life.
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Jay Z's Stash Spot at 560 State Street
Location: Brooklyn
Price: $870,000
Square footage: 1,045 square feet
When Jay Z dropped "Empire State of Mind" in 2009, he revealed the location of his old "stash spot" during his days as a hustler:
I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicanos
Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's
Took it to my stash spot, 560 State Street
Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons with them pastries.
Vulture followed up on this clue and found out that Jay lived in apartment 10B between 1996 and 1997. Recently, the adjacent apartment went on sale, and now it looks like a homey two-bedroom duplex with wooden floors, white walls, and stainless steel appliances. Stash spot, no more.
Goose Creek
Location: Wainscott, N.Y.
Price: $450,000 per month
Square footage: 25,000 square feet
Jay Z and Damon Dash caused a stir on the East End in the summer of 1999 when they rented this 25,000-square-foot mecca for two weekends. Goose Creek mansion, situated on an inlet off of Georgica Pond, boasts a 110-seat movie theater, an indoor heated wave pool, and a Turkish bath among a whole roster of glitzy amenities. Jay Z claims that he “felt like a little kid in a big haunted house in there.” Others notable visitors who have stayed in the house include Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, and Billy Joel.
Miami Studio
Location: Miami
Price: $110,000
Square footage: 190 square feet
Beyonce purchased this studio for $465,000 in 2002 and sold it in 2011 for $110,000, way below her asking price of $135,000. The 190-square-foot cabana only contained a half bathroom, so many believed Beyonce and her guests used it as a place to change clothing without trekking back up to their rooms after the beach or pool.
Jay Z's Loft at 195 Hudston Street
Location: New York
Price: $6.85 million
Square footage: 8,000 square feet
In Sept. 2004, Jay Z closed a two-year-long deal on the seventh floor of this converted 1929 brick warehouse building on Hudson Street. The raw space covers 8,000 square feet with 3,000 square feet of outdoor terraces. This deal rounded off the rapper’s apartment hunt, which included a couple of other downtown properties. In 2008, word spread that Beyonce and Jay Z were getting married right in this building. The alleged nuptials threw the paparazzi into a frenzy, but nothing ended up happening that day.
Richard Meier's Prospect Park Development at 1 Grand Army Plaza
Location: Brooklyn
Price: Unavailable
Square footage: Unavailable
In 2007, rumor had it that Beyonce had her eye on a place at On Prospect Park, Richard Meier’s 15-storey glass tower at 1 Grand Army Plaza. Real estate blog Gowanus Lounge confirmed the rumor two days later, crediting an "industry source," which left the validity of Beyonce's purchase up to question. Curbed never explicitly confirmed the rumor though they did mention Beyonce in relation to “the building’s residents” in a 2011 report on Richard Meier’s art exhibition.
Time Warner Center Penthouse
Location: New York
Price: $40,000 per month
Square footage: 4,825 square feet
In 2007, Jay Z rented this sprawling three-bedroom penthouse on the 76th floor of the Time Warner Center, which boasts one of the city’s highest balconies, for $40,000 a month. The apartment was owned by telecom mogul and real estate investor Michael Hirtenstein, who rented the place to Jay Z before selling it at the highest price-per-square-foot ever paid for a Manhattan condo at the time.
Refurbished Con Ed Switching Station on Lafayette Street
Location: New York
Price: $80,000 per month
Square footage: 13,000 square feet
A converted Con-Edison switching station on Lafayette Street is yours to rent for $80,000 per month, $50,000 per week, or $20,000 per day. Beyonce shot the music video for "Halo" in this 13,000-square-foot brick-laden beauty, which features three bedrooms and three and a half baths.
Waterfront Property, 40 Indian Creek Drive
Location: Indian Creek, Fla.
Price: $9,300,000
Square footage: 7,888 square feet
Once the residence of Beyonce and Jay Z, this two-storey Mediterranean-style concrete waterfront palace is 7,888 square feet and boasts seven bedrooms, eight full and partial baths, a tile roof, and a pool. The pair no longer owns the home, which they sold for $9.3 million in 2010. Their former island neighbors include Julio and Enrique Iglesias, model Adriana Lima, and former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula. According to Zillow, the home is not for sale at the moment.
House in Mt. Olympus
Location: Los Angeles
Price: $3,495,000
Square footage: 3,441 square feet
This 1967 Mt. Olympus house was designed by mid-century master Hal Levitt and used on the set of Beyonce’s “Why Don’t You Love Me” video. Though the house was never owned by Jay Z or Beyonce, it deserves some attention for the outrage it sparked and, as a result, the overwhelming attention it received.
In 2010, the filming of Beyonce’s video was apparently so wild, it provoked a lawsuit from a neighbor, whose daily routine was rocked upside-down by Beyonce’s day-long shoot. Curbed lists the series of disturbances, which were named in the lawsuit. The house features three bedrooms, sliding glass walls, skylights, a pool, and a wetbar. It was last sold for $1.7 million and is now asking for $3.49 million.
Ricky Martin's Old Miami Beach House
Location: Miami
Price: $12.5 million
Square footage: 9,491 square feet
While Blue Ivy Carter was making headlines even before she came into the world, word was going around that Beyonce and Jay Z were looking to buy Ricky Martin’s ritzy ocean-front pad in anticipation of the new family member. The Florida oasis features seven beds, 10 baths, and a swimming pool. The couple took a walk through the $10.6 million Mediterranean home though it’s uncertain whether they ended up purchasing it. Ricky Martin’s former residence is also located close to Miami Heat superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
The Sandcastle
Location: Bridgehampton, N.Y.
Price: $400,000 per month
Square footage: 31,000 square feet
In 2012, Jay Z and Beyonce agreed to shell out $400,000 per month to rent Joe Farrell’s colossal Water Mill Estate, also known as “The Sandcastle.” The NY Post reported that the pair rented the place for the month of August that year.
Palace in Houston
Location: Houston
Price: $5.9 million
Square footage: 25,000 square feet
In January last year, Beyonce was reportedly eyeing this mega property. By the end of the month, Beyonce was said to be in the final stages of snapping up the house as a generous gift for her mother.
Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch
Location: Los Olivos, Calif.
Price: $29-100 million
Square footage: 13,000 square feet
Rumors of Mr. and Mrs. Carter’s interest in the deceased King of Pop’s carnival estate in Los Olivos, Calif., were flying around last year. MJ’s Neverland Ranch, named after J. M. Barrie’s fictional Neverland, spans almost 3,000 acres. The fabled estate boasts a train station and two railroads, among other peculiarities. Though Jay Z admitted to having toured Neverland Ranch with its owner, Thomas Barrack Jr., he swatted those rumors of a forthcoming purchase with a blunt claim that he’s “got no interest in Neverland.”
Cher's Malibu Mansion
Location: Malibu
Price: $45 million
Square footage: 13,126 square feet
Last year, Beyonce allegedly picked up this Italian Renaissance-style residence, which features seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a tennis court, a pool, and an adjacent guesthouse. It also happened to be Cher’s Ron Wilson-designed “sanctuary and fortress.” While Cher has denied having sold her Malibu home to Jay Z and Beyonce, the unconfirmed reports keep swirling.
10-Day Stay at Brazilian Mansion
Location: Trancoso, Brazil
Price: $6,000 per night
Last year, Beyonce rented the Countess’ 18-bedroom mansion in the fishing village of Trancoso, Bahia, where she stayed with her staff, her mom, and Blue Ivy throughout the 10-day Brazilian leg of her world tour. A celebrity hotspot, the village has hosted the likes of Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen, Matthew McConaughey, and Miranda Kerr.
Hawaii Beachfront Estate
Location: Kailua, Hawaii
Price: $24.95 million
Square footage: 10,000 square feet
Jay Z and Beyonce have vacationed in this 10,000 square-foot beachfront residence, located on one of the largest islands in the Polynesian Archipelago. It’s no wonder they’re fans of the place; walls of glass open out to a full patio and cabana, promising an unbroken view of the ocean. While it’s unclear when the couple stayed at the Hawaiian estate, the property has received a surge of attention in the past month and is currently listed for sale.
466 Further Lane, East Hampton
Location: East Hampton, N.Y.
Price: $25 million
Square footage: 65,000 square feet
Just last month, Jay Z and Beyonce were looking for a Hamptons beach mansion and had their eyes on this 65,000-square-foot vacation pad at 466 Further Lane. The $25 million mansion boasts four bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, two acres of land, four “outbuildings,” a gym, and an apple orchard.