916 Eisenhower Drive - The Meadows Area - Key West, Florida

Just listed by yours truly, 916 Eisenhower Drive which is located in the Meadows Area of Key West. The home was originally built in the late 1890s.  It was owned by Sally Rand, the fan dancer, after World War II.  Later owners in the early 2000s undertook a significant restoration and addition to the property for which they were awarded the 2005 Florida Keys Foundation's Preservation Award, a ceramic star, which is displayed on the front porch.  The award is given to exemplary properties in recognition of their method of preserving the existing historic fabric and new construction that exits compatibly within an historic neighborhood. A lot of houses get updated or remodeled each year. Only the best get this award.

The house itself exudes Key West charm from the classic revival front, the gingerbread that adorns the two tiered front porches, and the lush tropical setting. Inside, the home has a formal entry hall which denotes a house of importance. To the left is the large living room with two sets of French doors that open to a side porch. A floor to ceiling bookcase was added by the prior owner as part of the renovation. That bookcase later appeared as a focal point when the house and its owners were featured in a New York Times piece.  A photo from that article appears below along with a photo that shows the same area today.

Barbara P. Fernandez for The New York Times

A child's blackboard replaces the decorative items from before but the room is still chic

The hallway features Dade Count Pine walls and crown molding. A small oil painting of 916 Eisenhower Drive graces the entry way.  Ancient windows with glass that ripples accentuate each room. Upstairs you will find two bedrooms and a bath. Both bedrooms have access to second floor porches.

The kitchen is located in a sawtooth addition behind the main part of the house. This room has a vaulted ceiling and Dade County Pine Walls which seamlessly blend with the new modern cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and marble counter tops to create a warm "homey" feeling. The star of this room is the wide windows that open out to the outdoor living room. The chef and the family or friends are never separated. And what a view the chef has by the way.

 

Just beyond the dining area you will find an open living area as well. That's the perfect place to sit and contemplate how Congress is going to fix the debt crisis. But until that happens, it's also a good place to sit and enjoy life looking out at the pool or watching your honey in the kitchen. You can view more photos of this property if you CLICK HERE.

The master bedroom with en-suite bath plus an outdoor shower deluxe is located to the right of the outdoor living area shown just above. French doors on two sides of the room open out to the fresh Key West air.  The current owners are sharing the bedroom space with two precious little girls. I found a photo that shows how the master bedroom looked when the former owners had it photographed.

Copyright Blair Gordon Design

916 Eisenhower Drive is a three bedroom, two and one-half bath home with 1606 sq ft of living space under air plus large porches on front and sides plus the outdoor living room (which is not counted as living area).  The 4011 sq ft lot is lushly landscaped with tropical foliage and Chicago brick lines much of the remaining space. This special Key West property is offered at $949,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.  If you would like to see this home, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642.  I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.