B
illionaire Ken Griffin is nearing the end of his Chicago real estate exodus, with two more condo sales bringing him one property away from washing his hands of the city. The Citadel founder sold two unfinished penthouse condos at 9 West Walton for a combined $15.9 million, marking an $8.79 million loss since he purchased them in 2017.

    The units on the 35th and 36th floors were sold for $7.4 million and $8.5 million respectively, following Griffin's bitter departure from Chicago in 2022 due to concerns over "wokeness," crime rates, and governance. Griffin cited these issues as reasons for leaving behind his three-decade presence in the city.

    Griffin's loss is a small dent in his estimated net worth of over $40 billion. However, it adds to his overall losses on Chicago real estate, which now total $23.59 million or 40% of his original investment at No. 9 West Walton. The billionaire still has one remaining property in the city, a furnished penthouse at 800 North Michigan Ave., listed for $15.75 million.

    Griffin's departure from Chicago marked the end of his historic tenure at 9 West Walton, where he once held the record for the largest-ever real estate transaction with a four-penthouse spread purchased for $59 million in 2017. The other two penthouses in the building were sold to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in December for $19 million, resulting in another sales loss of $14.8 million for Griffin.

    Griffin's real estate transactions often make headlines, including his recent purchase of a $45 million duplex at 740 Park Ave. and his record-breaking sale of a $238 million home at 220 Central Park South in New York. His extensive portfolio also includes a $122 million London mansion and an $84.45 million Hamptons estate previously owned by Calvin Klein.