Billionaire hedge fund boss Ken Griffin to pay Manhattan cathedral up to $164 million for air rights to build new skyscraper

• Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has struck a deal to buy St Patrick's Cathedral's air rights, per Bloomberg.
• The deal is part of plans to build a 1.7 million-square-foot skyscraper in Manhattan. 
• Citadel is doubling down on New York despite Griffin praising Miami as "the future of America." 

Billionaire hedge fund boss Ken Griffin has reportedly struck a deal — alongside Steve Roth's Vornado Realty Trust and Rudin Management — to pay a historic Manhattan cathedral for its air rights to build a skyscraper, according to a Bloomberg report.

The trio has agreed to pay $312.50 per square foot for between 315,000 to 525,000 square feet in development rights on Park Avenue — meaning the sale price could be up to $164 million — as part of plans to build a new 1.7 million-square-foot skyscraper in the famous Manhattan district.

Citadel will reportedly occupy half of the skyscraper, which is expected to be completed in 2032 and could rise to 1,350 feet.

The company is looking to expand its office space after enjoying a bumper year of profits.

Like many of his fellow billionaires, Griffin has spoken out against working from home, warning that remote working made it easier for companies to fire people in a recent Bloomberg interview.

St Patrick's Cathedral in midtown Manhattan. Foto: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of New York confirmed to Bloomberg that the Cathedral is selling some of its air rights, which typically refers to the space above or around a property, and said that the money raised from the deal would be put towards maintaining the nearly 150-year-old church.

Citadel's plan for its New York expansion comes as several financial firms flee the Big Apple for Miami, which is fast gaining a reputation as "Wall Street South" thanks to its booming financial sector.

The hedge fund is building a new $1 billion headquarters in Miami's Brickell Bay. Griffin described the city as "representing the future of America" and hinted that it could overtake New York in the future in a Bloomberg interview.

Citadel did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

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