730 Southard Street - Back on the Market - New Lower Price - Old Town - Key West

730 Southard Street Old Town Key West

Imagine opening your front door to that view every day!

This may be your last chance to grab an iconic Key West property at a reasonable price. The one of a kind property located at 730 Southard Street (which had been under contract) is back on the market and is now offered at $1,100,000 or $388 per sq ft. This is how the listing Realtor describes the property:

" Right in the heart of Old Town Key West sits this jewel of an original Conch home built in the 1800's awaiting your special touch. The history behind this home spans several generations of just one family. The rooms are large, the ceilings are high and everything is original in this two story home including Dade County pine throughout. There's over 2800 square feet of living space including the large master and guest bedrooms upstairs plus the living room, den, study, dining room and kitchen downstairs. The standup attic runs the length of the building with access to the widows walk allowing for a bird's eye view of Old Town. All this plus room for a pool in the back."

The most recent resident was born in and lived in that house for nearly ninety years. She passed away a couple of years ago. Many of her possessions are still located in place throughout the house. The house almost shows like a museum of a life in another distant time. The outside of the house looks ragged and forlorn. But the inside of the house is quite different. Read on.

The house has wonderful wraparound porches on the first and second floors, and there are rear porches on both levels as well. Those porches provide potentially dramatic openings from the historic French doors that open onto the porches. That includes the rear second floor porch just off the master bedroom. The porches all need replaced. Some of the shutters need replaced. But the French doors appeared to be in fine condition and properly located.

Master bedroom in on second floor right

Any renovation of the house would entail all new electric, plumbing, and air conditioning. The house is very large. A local architect told me that he believes three buildings were brought together to make one large structure. (That would explain the two separate formal living rooms on the first floor.) The third floor attic is gigantic. The architect commented that the attic would provide excellent space for location of HVAC.

The Attic is larger and more spacious than many Key West Cottages

The existing bathrooms are very old and very dated. I think there is more than enough room for a creative architect to carve out some very useful bathrooms that meet our modern needs and still preserve the dignity the present structure.

The kitchen is located in a separate building just off the grand dining room. It has three sets of French doors that open onto the William Street side of the property. The room is very large and the ceiling could be vaulted to create a really dramatic area. The kitchen even has an existing fireplace that might become a feature in a renovation

.Kitchen is smaller one story building with 3 sets of French doors shown above

The dining room is likewise located just off the kitchen and next to the front parlor. The living room, on the other and, is a giant room located just to the west of the front door. The living room has French doors that overlook the rear grounds. The dining room, parlor, and living room each have French doors that open onto the wraparound porches on front and the rear as well. The layout is a bit formal for today but the space is entirely useful. Imagine the house re-fitted to meet the needs of 21st Century living complete with existing French doors that open from every room that would over looking the pool and gardens.

Parlor is located just off main entrance and adjacent to the formal dining room

The second floor has enough space for two great bedrooms and baths to compliment the huge master bedroom suite with front and rear balconies. The space for the master suite is just grand. I envision treating the very simple structure in an understated manner. The classic design elements are already there. It is just coming up with a good and useful design for today. There isn't a need to add, but there is a need to edit.

All of the interior has Dade County Pine walls, ceilings, and wood floors. Those rooms look as solid today at they were a hundred years ago. They have not been messed with.The building appeared seemed very structurally sound with the exception of some of the piers that will need to be repaired. (I am not a qualified inspector but I feel comfortable in commenting on things that are easily noticeable.) All of the plumbing and electric needs replaced. HVAC would be all new as it is non existent.

There is no pool. But there is room for a great pool and garden as well. The fence is dilapidated as is the widows walk on the top roof. But you should see the view from up there. You can see the Gulf of Mexico and all of the small homes for blocks and blocks. You could have a great sunrise view from the kitchen of dining room each morning. And in the early evening you could sit on the second floor front porch and watch the sunset.

Room for a large pool and beautiful gardens

View from the Widow's Walk of the Gulf of Mexico

730 Southard Street is a big house with 2838 sq ft of space under roof. It sits on a large 6853 sq ft lot (at the corner of William and Southard Streets) right in the smack dab middle of Old Town. CLICK HERE to read the listing Realtor's description of the property and to see some very good interior and exterior photos.

It's going to take probably a several months and quite a bit of cash to renovate the place. But in the end someone is going to own one of the great beauties of Key West. If you would like to see 730 Southard Street please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. My email address is kw1101v@aol.com. I can send more photos to serious buyers. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.