▁did ▁not ▁maintain ▁the ▁property ▁in ▁the ▁mean while , ▁expecting ▁to ▁sell ▁it . ▁But ▁there ▁was ▁so ▁little ▁interest , ▁the ▁city ▁approved ▁its ▁demol ition ▁to ▁build ▁smaller ▁homes . ▁ ▁Donald ▁Trump ▁learned ▁about ▁the ▁estate ▁after ▁un success fully ▁trying ▁to ▁purchase ▁and ▁combine ▁two ▁apart ments ▁in ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁for ▁his ▁family . ▁According ▁to ▁Trump , ▁he ▁offered ▁the ▁Post ▁family ▁$ 1 5 ▁million ▁for ▁it , ▁but ▁they ▁rejected ▁it . ▁Trump ▁purchased ▁the ▁land ▁between ▁Mar - a - L ago ▁and ▁the ▁ocean ▁from ▁Jack ▁C . ▁M asse y , ▁the ▁former ▁owner ▁of ▁K FC , ▁for ▁$ 2 ▁million , ▁stating ▁he ▁intended ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁home ▁that ▁would ▁block ▁Mar - a - L ago ' s ▁beach ▁view . ▁The ▁threat ▁caused ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁property ▁to ▁decl ine , ▁and ▁Trump ▁ended ▁up ▁getting ▁the ▁property ▁for ▁$ 7 ▁million ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁D ifferent ▁sources ▁have ▁put ▁the ▁combined ▁total ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁purchase ▁at ▁around ▁$ 1 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁Trump ▁then ▁renov ated ▁the ▁estate , ▁adding ▁a ▁ ▁ball room . ▁The ▁club ▁also ▁has ▁five ▁cl ay ▁tennis ▁courts ▁and ▁a ▁water front ▁pool . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁Trump ▁faced ▁financial ▁difficulties . ▁While ▁negoti ating ▁with ▁his ▁bank ers , ▁he ▁promised ▁to ▁divide ▁Mar - a - L ago ▁into ▁smaller ▁properties , ▁alarm ing ▁Pal