I got a tour of the enclave known as "Billionaire Bunker" and saw why it attracts so many celebrities.
Jeff Bezos, who has called Seattle home for 29 years, is officially moving to Miami.
Jeff Bezos has reportedly purchased a waterfront mansion in Indian Creek, an artificial barrier island in Miami.
Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images; Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Bezos made the announcement on Instagram on Thursday evening.
"I want to be close to my parents, and Lauren and I love Miami," Bezos wrote of his and his fiancé Lauren Sanchez's decision to make the move. "Also, Blue Origin's operations are increasingly shifting to Cape Canaveral. For all that, I'm planning to return to Miami, leaving the Pacific Northwest."
Bezos' upcoming move puts him in good company: Many business moguls and wealthy people have moved to the sunshine state in recent years. Of course, Bezos is no mere wealthy individual: With a $160 billion net worth, the Amazon founder is currently the second-richest person in the world.
Bezos' announcement comes after he made two big real-estate purchases in Miami's Indian Creek neighborhood, which is informally known as "Billionaire Bunker."
Todd Michael Glaser/Dina Goldentayer ᐧ
In October, Bezos bought a $79 million mansion in the neighborhood. The home neighbors another property he bought over the summer for $68 million.
High-profile figures like Ivanka Trump and Tom Brady also have homes in the highly secure barrier island.
In December 2022, I got a tour of the neighborhood and quickly learned why celebrities are drawn to its high levels of privacy and security.
To enter the island, your need to be a resident or have your name put on a verified visitor's list. At the gate, security scanned my Uber driver's license before letting us through.
Hannah Towey/Insider
The island's one entrance is heavily guarded, with the Indian Creek Village Police headquarters immediately to the left.
Hannah Towey/Insider
My Uber driver dropped me off on the other side of the bridge. While waiting for Dina Goldentayer, the realtor who would be giving me a tour, a policeman stopped to ask who I was waiting for.
Hannah Towey/Insider
As I wandered around, the only other people I saw on the streets were construction workers. Several homes, including a mansion Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner purchased last year for $24 million, were under construction.
A total of 41 property lots are wrapped around the Indian Creek Golf Club at the center of the 300-acre island. The layout ensures that ever home has water views.
Todd Michael Glaser/Dina Goldentayer
Despite only having a few dozen homes, Miami's Indian Creek Village has its own mayor and local government.
As a result, the town also has its own police force. About 15 police officers secure the island by land and sea, according to the Indian Creek Village police directory.
One of the more surprising details I learned during the tour was that purchasing property in Indian Creek does not guarantee admittance into the neighborhood's ultra-exclusive golf club.
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Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were told by local residents they "need not apply" to the club after buying their $30 million Indian Creek home, Page Six reported.
In the early 2000s, the country club was accused of discriminating against Black and Jewish residents, local outlets reported. The club denies the allegations.
Beyond the club and the private homes, not much else is on the island. Indian Creek Island Road is the neighborhood's single street — and it's a dead end.
Hannah Towey/Insider
"There's no action here," Goldentayer joked during the tour. "But you're 10 minutes from the action."
Hannah Towey/Insider
Most of the homes had private docks. But unlike other high-end Miami neighborhoods, there's no direct beach access.
Hannah Towey/Insider
Some residents own or rent additional properties on Miami's mainland, Goldentayer said, like Ivanka and Jared's $18.8 million rental condo in nearby Surfside.
Privacy was obviously top-of-mind for the millionaire and billionaire residents. Some mansions were especially well-hidden from the street.
Hannah Towey/Insider
November 3, 2023: This story has been updated with news of Jeff Bezos' move to Miami.
Combined with the over-the-top security measures, this "quintessential privacy" is what makes high-profile names so attracted to the community, Goldentayer said.
