The King of the Miami Skyline is Preparing to Hand Over his Empire

Jorge Perez, the billionaire who helped turn South Florida’s skyline into a beacon for Latin America’s wealthiest, is preparing to hand over his empire.

The 66-year-old developer, known as Miami’s “Condo King,” said he hopes his sons Jon Paul and Nicholas will take the reins of the Related Group in a few years so he can focus more on travel, philanthropy and his art collection. Jon Paul, 31, has been working with his father out of the Miami office, while younger brother Nicholas, 28, works for New York-based Related Cos., a partner on some Related Group projects that operates independently.

Perez, born in Argentina to Cuban parents, said he already spends about 50 percent of his time on philanthropy. He’s become almost as famous for art as he is for real estate -- Miami’s main art museum was renamed for him after a $40 million donation, and his projects feature curated works in public spaces. The facade of the new SLS Brickell has a mural by German painter Markus Linnenbrink, done in brightly colored, vertical stripes.

“The more you do it, the more you become good at it, and I always hope that my kids will have the humility to understand that,” he said. “Because if you think that just because you are the son of an owner you’re entitled, then you’re going to have problems.”

Sources and Photos: bloomberg, Wealth X, Forbes, Miami Herald