Dezer Development President Gil Dezer speaks with Fox News Digital about what to expect from the Trump Presidential Library in Miami, next to the historic Freedom Tower.
South Florida real estate developer Gil Dezer, who partnered with former President Donald Trump on several luxury real estate projects, says it’s no surprise Trump chose Florida for his presidential library — and believes Miami is “ready” to carry the weight of that legacy.
“How great is it that we have him here? Of all the different cities and states that he could have chosen, I mean, Florida has shown him a lot of love and he’s showing it to us back,” Dezer told Fox News Digital. “So we’re very proud to have it here in Florida, in Miami.”
Earlier this month, Florida officials approved plans to build Trump’s presidential library on a prime parcel in downtown Miami, next to the city’s iconic Freedom Tower.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and the Florida Cabinet voted to transfer a 2.63-acre parcel on Biscayne Boulevard to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation, provided construction begins within five years — about a year after his second term ends.
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Trump has long maintained a presence in nearby Palm Beach and made history in Miami-Dade County in the 2024 presidential election, winning by 13 points — the first Republican to do so since 1988.
The land allocated to the Trump Presidential Library in Miami, Florida, is right next to the Freedom Tower. (Getty Images)
“It’s great to have its footprint in downtown Miami. It’s great to have something of the White House here in South Florida,” said Dezer, the developer of the Porsche Design Tower, Bentley Residences, Trump Towers, Trump Royale and Trump Grande. “It’s going to create jobs in the area, construction, obviously, and it’s going to make a beautiful building, whereas right now… there’s just parking lots right there.”
The Miami site is currently used as parking for employees at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus and is next to the historic Freedom Tower, which served as a resource center for Cuban refugees who fled communism in the 1960s and 1970s. The century-old building is widely considered a symbol of the city’s vibrant immigrant heritage.
The parcel has been valued at more than $66 million, according to local reports, but could sell for more than $360 million, the New York Times reported, citing a real estate consultant.
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Dezer suggested that the library’s design blend Trump’s signature style with the influence of Miami terracotta to complement the Freedom Tower.
“I don’t think you want a marked difference from a new modern building,” he noted, “but something that will be timeless and elegant, in the way that [Trump] does everything it does…I think it’s important to incorporate elements of the city’s history.
“I think a real library…the ones we remembered, where you can go in and take out a book with a library card, a place to read, a quiet place, I think that’s what we absolutely need in the city center,” he added. “Growing up, we took classes on the Dewey Decimal System that my kids never bothered to learn today because it’s all online. So going back to ‘What’s a Library’ and having some really important books there that kids should read is something that’s absolutely important for Miami.”
Protesters hold signs as they demonstrate against the proposed construction of a Trump library near the Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida, September 29, 2025. | Getty Images
Dezer said he doesn’t expect any major planning or market hurdles when it comes time to break ground, although he acknowledged there could be political opposition.
“There are always political challenges. There are always opponents who don’t want them,” he said. “What he showed us is that he’s a master fundraiser. He raised money to build a ballroom next to the White House, which hasn’t been done in over a hundred years. And so he showed that if anyone wants to make it happen, he’s the one who will do it.”
“He’s going to push things and make sure it’s on time and on schedule, and it’s going to be amazing,” Dezer continued. “For most presidents, these things are a legacy. They want to be remembered for the next 200 years…He puts a stamp on the right [at the] dead center of Miami, which will be seen by all for many, many years to come. »
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Fox News Digital speaks with Dezer Development President Gil Dezer and Related Group’s Nick Perez about their under-construction residences designed by Bentley and Pininfarina, respectively.
The Trump Presidential Library Foundation did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the project’s design or timeline.
Under the Presidential Library Act, these libraries are typically funded by private donations and then transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for long-term maintenance. The Trump Foundation has not yet released formal architectural renderings or budget details.
“We’ve become a world-class city over the last 10 or 15 years, and this is just icing on the cake, if you will. Like I said, he could have picked anywhere and he could have put it anywhere, but Miami is mature enough and ready enough for this kind of project,” Dezer mused. “So we should be very proud that Trump chose us, and that will be there forever.”
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Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
