Edgardo and Ana Cristina Defortuna purchased one of the best-known properties on this exclusive island enclave south of Miami—President Richard Nixon’s Winter White House—and tore it down.
The Defortunas, developers and managers of some of Miami’s priciest condominium buildings, had grand visions for the waterfront property, which features a rare private beach on Biscayne Bay. They built a 22,000-square-foot, six-bedroom white stucco home, inspired by Mediterranean and French architecture. A large patio with an infinity pool overlooks the beach and the Miami skyline.
“A site like this is hard to find,” said Mr. Defortuna, on a recent late-summer afternoon, shortly after the couple’s sons, ages 10, 7 and 6, returned home from school.