WGM Weekender: Epic Interview with Delano's Ben Pundole on Schrager, Madonna, & Evolution
+ the Only Real Estate Listings that Matter in Miami this Week
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WHAT’S GOOD WEEKENDER: 5.15.26
WHAT’S LISTED:
Best Home’s for Sale this Week: First Move, Power Move, Forever Home
We scoured the market to find the newest and best listings, sub-5 million, 5-15m million, and one for motivation, 15m and up. There’s one for everyone.
GOOD COMPANY:
Interview with Delano’s Ben Pundole on his Lifelong Hospitality Journey
A conversation with Ben Pundole at the new Delano, on dreaming, trusting, and the city that finally stopped following.
WHAT’S LISTED
An Art Deco time capsule in Mid-Beach? They’re rare, but they exist.
While most of the buzz in 33140 centers on sleek new builds, 4490 Royal Palm Avenue stands as a masterclass in preserved Miami elegance. This is the real estate equivalent of a perfectly tailored vintage Chanel suit - timeless, structured, and impossible to replicate. Located in the heart of the Postview neighborhood, this 1939 residence offers a level of soulful sophistication that glass and steel simply can’t provide.
Step inside and you’re met with a layout that honors the golden era of Miami architecture. The 2,829 SF interior is defined by its crisp lines and original details, featuring a light-filled living room that flows seamlessly into a formal dining space. The aesthetic is “quiet luxury” before it was a trend - think original hardwood floors, classic moldings, and an abundance of natural light pouring through oversized windows. The chef’s kitchen and updated baths bridge the gap between historic charm and modern necessity.
Outside, the property transforms into a private Mediterranean sanctuary. A lush, manicured backyard serves as an outdoor living room, anchored by a pristine pool and framed by tall hedges for total seclusion. It’s a literal oasis just minutes from the 41st Street corridor and the beach. For those who value pedigree over square-box minimalism, this is the ultimate Mid-Beach trophy.
THE DETAILS:
Price: $2,699,000
Neighborhood: Mid-Beach (Orchard Sub), Miami Beach
Square Footage: 2,384 SF
Lot Size: 6,900 Square Feet
Built: 1936
Rooms: 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms
Amenities: Pool, 1 Car Garage, Basketball Court, Marble Fireplace, Impact Doors, Flex Office/Gym
Listing Agency: COMPASS by Mendel Fellig
A Ten-Bedroom Mediterranean Compound on the Bay. This is the kind of architectural gravity Shorecrest hasn’t seen before.
1201 NE 83rd Street is a massive residential anomaly tucked away at the edge of a secluded cul-de-sac in Bayshore Estates. It functions more like a private coastal resort than a standard family home, commanding a rare half-acre lot and 140 feet of direct, bridge-free saltwater frontage. It is the ultimate mainland alternative for a serious boater, offering unrestricted ocean access and deep-water dockage that typically commands a massive premium on the islands.
The 8,573 SF floor plan is an exercise in pure volume, anchored by a grand salon with 25-foot soaring ceilings. This estate is a hospitality powerhouse, featuring ten bedrooms and a chef’s kitchen equipped with double appliances for large-scale catering. The primary suite serves as a high-altitude sanctuary, complete with its own lounge area and twin balconies overlooking the bay. Outside, the property transforms into a walled tropical fortress, featuring a resort-caliber pool and spa, a full summer kitchen, and a detached 2-bedroom guest cottage. With a four-car garage and enough space to house a legacy, it’s a powerhouse property for a buyer who refuses to compromise on scale or sea-readiness.
THE DEETS:
Price: $9,800,000
Neighborhood: Bayshore Estates, Miami
Square Footage: 8,573 SF
Lot Size: 25,060 Square Feet
Days On the Market: 7
Built: 2010
Rooms: 10 Bedrooms, 9.5 Bathrooms
Amenities: 140’ Waterfront, Pool & Spa, 2-BR Guest House, 4-Car Garage, 25-Foot Ceilings, Summer Kitchen
Listing Agency: COMPASS by Mendel Fellig
A Glass-Edge Masterpiece in Keystone Point. This brand-new modern estate just redefined the ceiling for North Miami luxury.
13390 Biscayne Bay Drive is a high-concept architectural statement tucked away on a private cul-de-sac within Keystone Point’s gated enclave. This 2023-built residence is the residential equivalent of a modern superyacht, trading traditional walls for massive expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass and 8,200 SF of sheer transparency. With 136 feet of direct, bridge-free water frontage and rapid Atlantic access, it is a flagship property for boaters who want the proximity of Bal Harbour without the high-density traffic.
The three-level layout is a clinic in modern volume, featuring soaring ceilings, a sleek Mia Cucina kitchen, and an elevator that connects every floor from the ground-level suites to the rooftop entertainment deck. The primary suite is a true architectural retreat, designed to capture panoramic eastern exposures and sea breezes. Outdoors, the property functions as a private beach club, centered around a dramatic glass-edge infinity pool, a summer kitchen, and even a private putting green. It’s an ultra-prime trophy for a buyer looking for a turn-key legacy home that balances futuristic design with elite-level dockage.
THE DEETS:
Price: $15,490,000
Neighborhood: Keystone Point, North Miami
Square Footage: ~8,200 SF
Lot Size: 14,258 Square Feet
Days On the Market: 1
Built: 2023
Rooms: 6 Bedrooms, 9.5 Bathrooms
Amenities: 136’ Waterfront, Glass-Edge Infinity Pool, Rooftop Deck, Elevator, Putting Green, Mia Cucina Kitchen
Listing Agency: Global Luxury Realty LLC by Dmitry Maccabee
FEATURE: DELANO’S BEN PUNDOLE, THE HOSPITALITY LEGEND BRINGS BACK A HOSPITALITY LEGEND
WATCH THE FULL LONG FORM INTERVIEW BY CLICKING ABOVE
“Always Be a Gentleman, and Never Play by the Rules”
A conversation with Ben Pundole at the new Delano, on dreaming, trusting, and the city that finally stopped following.
“As we pulled up to the porte cochère, I remember being thrilled. The entrance to the Delano had a magnitude and energy I’d rarely, if ever, experienced before. The valets were all perfectly dressed in crisp white outfits, the people getting out of their cars were beautifully put together, and the architecture was the perfect combination of classic Art Deco and clean modern lines.
While the arrival alone was magnificent, it wasn’t until I entered the lobby that I was swept away: fifty-foot ceilings, a straight-shot visual hundreds of feet from the entrance to the rear orchard, and charming vignettes of whimsical seating and social areas throughout. The beauty was unmistakable, and the energy was so real you could almost drink it. Every step I took built on the drama of the experience. By the time I exited the lobby and stepped into the orchard, I felt changed, as if my appreciation for what the imagination could manifest had been heightened. I didn’t say a word for ten minutes after I walked outside. I just smiled, completely satisfied by what I had just consumed.”
- The Age of Ideas by Alan Philips (Yes Me :))
There’s a moment, sitting in the new Delano, when you realize the building is doing something quieter than it used to. The old Delano was a statement, flowing white curtains, Philippe Starck swagger, a lobby that felt like the velvet rope of an entire decade. The new one isn’t trying to be that. It’s trying to be something harder: a place you actually want to come back to.
I sat down with Ben Pundole there last week. If that name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, it should. Ben is hospitality royalty in the most British, understated way, “I just happened to be in the room when it all started” kind of way. He came up at the Groucho Club in London in 1992, what he calls his university. He was at the Met Bar when the Met Bar was the room. He spent 23 years orbiting Ian Schrager, the man credited with birthing boutique hospitality as we now understand it.
What I wanted to know was simple: what does that lineage build, and what’s it doing in Miami right now?
The Schrager Gospel
Two things Ben took from Schrager and never put down.
The first is permission. “Don’t conform,” he told me. “Just because you’re hearing ninety-nine people telling you it should be done a certain way, it doesn’t mean that because you think it should be done a different way that it shouldn’t be done that way.”
