The Legacy, Luxury, and Tragedy of the Versace Mansion
Built by Alden Freeman, an heir to the Standard Oil fortune. Designed in Mediterranean Revival style, Freeman modeled the home after the Alcázar de Colón in the Dominican Republic (built by Christopher Columbus's son). The original structure featured coral flooring made from local key lime stone and an observatory.
After Freeman's death, the property was purchased by Jacques Amsterdam. He converted the sprawling mansion into a 24-unit apartment building named "The Amsterdam Palace." Over the next few decades, as South Beach experienced a downturn, the building slowly fell into disrepair.
While on vacation in Miami Beach, Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace took a walk down Ocean Drive. He was captivated by the building's Spanish architecture and the bronze "Kneeling Aphrodite" statue at its entrance. He purchased the dilapidated property for $2.95 million.
Versace bought the adjacent Revere Hotel for $3.7 million, demolished it, and began a massive 3-year renovation. He poured over $32 million into the property, transforming it into an opulent 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom palace. He added a new south wing, lush gardens, and millions of dollars in Italian mosaics and frescoes.
The centerpiece of the renovation was completed: a stunning 54-foot swimming pool. The pool is lined with over one million mosaic tiles, thousands of which are made of actual 24-karat gold. It featured the iconic Medusa head logo, solidifying the mansion as the ultimate symbol of the Versace brand's excess and luxury.
Tragedy struck the fashion world. While returning from his morning walk to the nearby News Cafe to buy magazines, Gianni Versace was shot twice in the back of the head on the front steps of his beloved Casa Casuarina. The shooter was Andrew Cunanan, a spree killer who took his own life on a houseboat eight days later. The motive remains a mystery.
Following Gianni's death, his sister Donatella Versace sold the mansion to telecommunications magnate Peter Loftin for $19 million. Loftin operated the property for years before it eventually transitioned into a high-end boutique hotel and restaurant.
After facing foreclosure, the mansion was put up for auction. It was purchased for $41.5 million by VM South Beach LLC, a group led by the Nakash family (founders of Jordache Enterprises). Donald Trump also reportedly placed a bid but lost.
Today, the mansion operates as an ultra-luxury boutique hotel named "The Villa Casa Casuarina." Guests can sleep in Versace's former bedroom, swim in the 24k gold pool, and dine at "Gianni's" restaurant in the courtyard. It remains one of the most photographed and legendary properties in Miami Beach.