1021 Washington Street, Key West, Florida - The Casa Marina Area

When I write about certain properties in Key West I often use the term "one-of-a-kind".  Maybe I use the term too often. Maybe the significance of the truly unique property gets lost in my exuberant description of properties. Today's home at 1021 Washington Street in Key West is truly one-of-a-kind and the term as used is an understatement.

Look at the photo above. Look at it. It just shouts "Old Florida!" - Old Florida before the invasion of the hordes of snowbirds, before the colonization of South Beach, before the gayification of Fort Lauderdale, and before the gentrification of Key West.

The pre-World War II architecture is so simple and elegant. The listing Realtor describes 1021 Washington Street this way:

"Rare combination located in the Casa Marina district, on a 27,000 sq ft site that allows the buyer to build up to 2 additional homes. Already approved by the City of Key West. Must buy the existing home comes with a cottage and 3 car garage on approximately 13,500 sq ft lot. Property has already been surveyed. If you buy the home, cottage, and garage you have the right to buy one or both vacant lots. Ideal for a family compound. Great landscaping including many mature palms, irrigated by 6 wells. All for $2,900,000."

I have lived around the corner from this property since 1995.  I never stepped inside the house until last week during Realtor caravan. I sort of knew what to expect because I expected the Old Florida look. What I saw was the model upon which Ralph Lauren might base a classic Florida home collection.  The contents are not for sale but the contents set the stage for the laid back lifestyle a home like this invites.  So many of the old homes have been updated to the nines that they have lost their original charm. Not this home. The same family has lived here nearly eighty years. The house and grounds have been consistently maintained for at least as long as I have lived in the neighborhood, and you cannot just create that look overnight. I dug into the old shoebox and found a black white photo of the house with the notation built circa 1926.  I a;so found an old aerial photo taken in 1930 of the Casa Marina area. I marked the location of 1021 Washington Street. 

This home has a traditional layout with formal rooms for specific functions. This is unlike a contemporary home with an open floor plan. I suppose a new owner could renovate and remove some walls to create more integrated spaces, but what exists does not need to be renovated.

 Here the front door opens into the formal living room where there is a fireplace flanked by bookcases. Look above the bookcases and  you will notice windows look through the to the Florida room. The Florida room runs the length of the west side of the main house. Louvers open out to the expansive west lawn and driveway. The house next door to the west sits to the rear of a huge front lawn as well. When you look out from the Florida room your view is of an immense space of green grass, tall palms, and blue skies. (Except on the day I took the photos which was rainy.)

The kitchen, informal dining area, and the formal dining room are located at the rear of the home.

The main house has two bedrooms and two baths. The master suite includes a sitting area that is larger than the living room in many homes.

The third bedroom is located in the cottage behind the main house.  You must walk through meandering gardens that lead to the guest cottage where there is a small living space, bedroom, and bathroom. The windows look out to the manicured to perfection greenery and swaying palms. We just do not have properties this lush and this well maintained in our little city. The views are more like you would expect to see on Sugarloaf Key. 

This stately historic property is situated on a 27,000 + sq. ft. parcel of land the corner of Washington and Whalton Streets that includes the main house, guest cottage, and a three bay garage.  There is an old fashioned patio, a play area for the grand kids, formal gardens, expansive green lawns, and plenty of distance from neighboring homes.  The owners never built a pool however. There is plenty of room for a pool and more. As stated, a new owner could build up to two new homes on the lot pictured below.

A few years ago I wrote about the adjacent property on Whalton Street and snapped a photo of the grounds at 1021 Washington. The photo below is of the pool on the adjacent property. It captures the magnitude of the side yard for 1021 Washington.  The 1021 Washington Street guest cottage is seen at the right in the below photo.

I took more photos of 1021 Washington Street which you can see if you CLICK HERE.  Please note that all of the interior and most of the exterior photos were taken on a rainy day.  This property would have photographed much better had the weather been normal.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property.  But better than looking at photos online, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this special Key West property. There is nothing else like it here. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  I live in the immediate area of this property. I love the location and the proximity to the beaches, Old Town, and all the things that attract people to Key West. But I also love the quiet neighborhood with the tall palms and majestic mahogany trees that make our little part of Key West so special.