Casa Casuarina, the former Gianni Versace mansion on South Beach, will soon have a new operator: Barton G. Weiss, events whiz and restaurateur. Peter Loftin, who owns the 10-suite oceanfront villa at 1116 Ocean Dr., expects to ink a deal with Weiss to manage the villa and open a restaurant and specialty boutique hotel.

``I've learned over the years what it takes to run Casa Casuarina,'' says Loftin, 51, who bought the property in 2000 for $19 million. ``It takes a creative genius. I'm stepping aside. Barton is going to run the whole place. Nobody does it like Barton.''

Weiss will have a 10-year lease, with a 10-year renewable option. He'll rebrand it -- The Villa by Barton G. -- and begin booking events and suites immediately. ``It's a special building that needs to be managed correctly,'' says Weiss, 53. He says he'll open the restaurant by February. It will be his third -- he owns Barton G. on West Avenue in Miami Beach, and operates Prelude by Barton G. at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami.

Versace paid $2.9 million for the Amsterdam Palace apartment building in '92 and converted it into an opulent residence. He died on the front steps in July '97, gunned down by Andrew Cunanan.

Loftin, a telecom entrepreneur, purchased the palazzo three years later and lived there for four years. He then marketed the property as a private club and fancy hotel. ``An oasis for the privileged few,'' says casacasuarina.com, which has several photos of the mansion. Loftin even offered public tours -- for $65 per person, including a complimentary mimosa. And he opened his own restaurant, Loftin's.

Last summer, Loftin announced he was selling a stake to high-flying Fort Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein, who would open a restaurant-nightclub. That plan fizzled fast: Rothstein is now in custody, charged with masterminding a $1.2 billion investment scheme. Meanwhile, Loftin is straightening out some liens, including one for $65,675.87 from the IRS. ``Just a past tax misunderstanding that's being resolved.''

Weiss did work at Casa Casuarina before -- he had a catering contract for special events from '03 to '07.

``This is completely different,'' Weiss says. ``Now, I'm running the entire experience. It's me, bringing my whimsical theming to an iconic property -- the Barton G. touch.''

BOOK BASH

Former WFOR-CBS 4 sports reporter Jill Martin, who now lives in Manhattan and appears on NBC's Today, is in town to promote her new book -- Fashion for Dummies.

Martin wrote the 332-page paperback (Wiley, $24.99) with Pierre A. Lehu (he contributed to Sex for Dummies by ``Dr. Ruth'' Westheimer) and with stylist Dana Ravich.

Martin, Ravich, and Tracy Mourning, Alonzo's wife and founder of Honey Shine mentoring program, are throwing a private book bash Wednesday at Jade Ocean condo in Sunny Isles Beach. Among those expected: shoe designer Lisa Pliner, WFOR's Lisa Petrillo and Deborah Slack, manager of Saks Fifth Avenue at Bal Harbour Shops.

Martin, 33, will also attend a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the W Fort Lauderdale. She says she'll offer wardrobe tips -- ``from how to make a scarf into a blouse to how to shop in your closet for the holidays.''