Ken Griffins Citadel claps back at Mamdanis viral penthouse video threatens to scrap $6B NYC development
Billionaire Ken Griffin is appalled after Mayor Zohran Mamdani spotlighted his Manhattan penthouse in a viral video announcing a new pied-à-terre tax – and the hedge fund titan signaled he might even yank a $6 billion development project in the city.In a video last week, Mamdani beamed as he stood in front of the Citadel founder’s 24,000-square-foot property at 220 Central Park South – which he scooped up for $238 million in 2019, the most expensive home sale in the country.“We’ve secured a pied-à-terre tax,” the 34-year-old Democratic socialist rejoiced in the April 15 video.“This is an annual fee on luxury properties worth more than $5 million, whose owners do not live full-time in the city.Like for this penthouse, which hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin bought for $238 million.”Griffin — whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $50 billion — wasn’t amused.
A top exec at his hedge fund sent a companywide email Thursday afternoon blasting the mayor’s comments – and hinting at a potential reversal on a massive Midtown project.“We are about to commence the redevelopment of 350 Park Avenue, creating 6,000 highly paid construction jobs and supporting the creation of more than 15,000 permanent jobs in mid-town New York,” wrote Chief Operating Officer Gerald Beeson in an email obtained by The Post.“The project – if we move forward – will entail more than $6 billion dollars of spending.”Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the email.During his campaign, Mamdani promised voters free childcare, free buses and city-owned grocery stores, pledging to ramp up taxes on the rich to support the pricey proposals – though such a move is up to state lawmakers.Governor Kathy Hochul – who is up for re-election this year – flipped on her initial resistance last week to support the mayor’s tax on luxury second homes in New York City, raising concerns around a ...