The Nakash family has put Casa Casuarina, formerly known as the Versace Mansion, up for lease, less than two years after buying the storied property, The Real Deal has learned.
Cushman & Wakefield confirmed that the firm is marketing the former estate of slain Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace at 1116 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach.
The property features 10 luxury suites, a wellness spa, restaurant, swimming pool, rooftop lounge and event space. The three-story, 23,462-square-foot building sits on a 19,500-square-foot lot, according to Miami-Dade property records. It was built in 1930.
Jordache Enterprises paid $41.5 million for the famed site at an auction in September 2013.
“We bought history,” Joe Nakash, the chairman of Jordache Enterprises, told reporters in 2013, dismissing the possibility of a massive renovation or teardown. “We paid $41.5 million for it and it’s going to stay as it is,” he said at the time.
The house was sold with the furnishings, stain glass and mosaic arranged in the eccentric, baroque style of Versace. Features include a 24-karat gold-lined swimming pool and a guest suite fitted out for once frequent visitor Madonna.
A spokesperson for Jordache Enterprises said the property is not for sale, but that he receives unsolicited offers “all the time.”
“When we buy real estate, we essentially want to own it forever,” Jonathan Bennett, managing director of Nakash Holdings, told TRD. “We’re looking for the right operator. There are folks out there who are specialists.”
The new listing describes potential uses for the mixed-use property, including luxury retail, financial advisory services, high-end dining and lounge space, a hotel, auction house or art gallery, among others. Kazuko Morgan, Eva Marie Santiago, Frank Begrowicz, C. Bradley Mendelson, Alan Schmerzler and Greg Masin of Cushman & Wakefield are the listing agents.
The Nakash family has other holdings in South Florida, most recently, in December, paying nearly $90 million for the Setai Hotel in South Beach.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Casa Casuarina is for sale. The property is now available for lease.