Key West Real Estate Trivial Pursuit - Part Three

Key West has changed so much since the first time I visited in 1984. I have lived here since 1993 and drive up and down the streets almost every day. I can go for months not seeing a particular area on the island, see that something has changed, and try to remember what was there before. Let's look at a few "before" photos to see if you know where the property is located. They will be easy this third time as I am placing a current photo under the property.

Number 1

 I took the above photo around 1998. I searched my old shoebox and found a photo of the same properties in 1965 - see below. There were two buildings bridged together to for what looks to be an apartment complex. If you closely it appears that first and second floor porches were enclosed with louver shutters to expand the interior living space. It also looks like the exterior had new fashioned asbestos siding added The center building may have been a laundry area.  I searched the Sanborn Fire Maps which showed buildings on both sites dating back to 1889. The building on the far right is too large to be the building on that site in 1889 and appears to have been added prior to 1912.

I also found an aerial photo of the Army Barracks located across the street. I added check marks to show the two still unidentified buildings.

This is the same location photographed a couple of days ago. Everyone will get this one.

Number 2

I remember sitting in my car at one of the few four-way traffic light intersections in town looking at the ugly one story "modern" CBS building blocking the view of some older building to the rear. I kept wishing someone would by the place, tear it down, and restore the building in the rear. I took a photo of the building but have not been able to find it. I did find the two above photos in the Monroe County Library collection. I took the photo below of that same location a couple of days ago. It is one of the more remarkable renovations in town. I am sure you will agree.

Number 3

I took photos of the side by side properties around twenty years ago. Both properties have changed immensely. The top photo was four apartments which were converted into condominiums. I took new photos of both properties yesterday. The condos are surrounded by palm trees so that photo is useless. I sold the house next door. I remember sitting inside the kitchen watching television coverage of the the US invasion of Baghdad on the day we did the home inspection. The place is beautiful today.  I think a lot of people drive by houses with peeling paint and think the insides must be awful. That is not always the case.  Some owners continue to let the outside look bad to fool the taxman. That is why I tell potential buyers to take a look. You never know what you may see.

Number 4

I borrowed a couple of photos from the Monroe County Library which show this location before there was a building and when there was a car sales lot. In recent years the property was a car rental business. That location sold in June 2020 for $7,025,000. It will become a parking lot. That was a steal.

If you are looking to buy a house in Key West consider calling me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I'll tell you lots of colorful stories about the way Key West used to be and how wonderful a place it is to live today.