Just Listed: 816 Ashe Street, Key West, Florida. Frequent visitors and even many locals may not know about this three block long street which runs paralegal between White Street to the east and Frances Street on the west between Southard Street to the north and Olivia Street to the south.
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| 816 Ashe Street in 1965 |
According to the listing Realtor
"This historic gem has been in the same family since being built in 1923. Featuring Dade County Pine, heart pine floors, first floor master bedroom, & attached laundry room/workshop. Two spacious front porches provide the perfect setting to relax and enjoy the quiet pace of Old Town Key West life. Off street parking & flood zone X. A perfect historic renovation project."
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| 814 Ashe Street in 1965 |
As I prepared to write today's blog I looked around in the old shoebox and found photos of 816 Ashe Street and its former neighbor to the north at 814 Ashe Street. I remember showing 814 Ashe Street more than a decade ago. I remember thinking it was way over-priced for the market back then. I was surprised when 814 Ashe and a wide double lot behind 814 and 816 Ashe was acquired. The house at 814 Ashe was razed and three new houses each with pools were erected. The two houses in the rear were given street addresses of Williams Lane.
As I walked through this home I remembered my grandmother's house, not like this house looked anything like her house. But it had the feel of a house more than fifty years outside its element. I don't write that in a negative tone. Too many houses today, including many renovated houses in Old Town, have become so fancy and glitzy that they have lost their sense of purpose They are designer homes instead of homes designed for living. Unless you are someone really special, you may relate to the simple style of this old home. Things work. Not everything you see has outlived its purpose. Yes the kitchen and baths are dated, but they still work.
The house has 1568 square feet of living space and sits on a 35' X 60.39' lot. There are three bedrooms and one bath as the house stands today. The living room is extra large. There is an very large formal dining room and a rarity for modern living - an eat-in kitchen. The first floor bedroom was probably the original master bedroom as it is located adjacent to and has a door entry into the one and only bath. A second door opens near the stairway to the second floor where two additional guest bedrooms are located. Both bedrooms have closets and there is a small hall closet as well. The great existing feature of this floor is the front porch that spans the width of the house. There is a small addition at the rear which provides storage now and which would make a great laundry room.
The photo two above shows the rear of the house with the addition to the side. I am confident a new owner could get permission to add a second story over the existing dining room and kitchen. If that were done, a new owner might remove the rear addition and seek permission to add a pool. It looks to me that the adjacent lots are similarly small and were given permission to add pool and parking. I can't promise anything, but seeking permission would certainly be worth the try. If that failed you would still have off street parking.
CLICK HERE to view more photos of the interior and exterior of this home and lot.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS data sheet. Then please call me,
Gary Thomas,
305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of 816 Ashe Street, Key West. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.
