1020 Von Phister Street - The Casa Marina Area - Key West

Just listed by Preferred Properties Key West, that's where I work but this is not my listing, 1020 Von Phister Street which is located in the Casa Marina area of Key West. I know this area well because I have lived about 100 feet east of this house since 1995. I watched as the old house that used to be located here was torn down and the present house was completed in 2002. The house was one of two houses designed by internationally famous architect Yum Kee Fu. (The other house is located on nearby South Street.)

1020 Von Phister Street in 1965 - demolished

The listing Realtor describes 1020 Von Phister Street as a:
"Custom built home, contemporary designed by an award wining Architect in 2002, in the heart of the Casa Marina. Located 3 blocks from the beach and tennis courts. There are 3 ensuite bedrooms, office and laundry room with marble floors throughout. Kitchen has been renovated with all new appliance and high tech lighting. Sliding glass doors reveal an outstanding tropical landscaping and large pool with a great water feature. In the master suite there are his and her bathrooms with closets. Off the master is an incredible private outdoor shower, orchid garden and deck. This home is complete with a full house generator and hurricane shutters. Two off street parking place with rolling gates. Can be bought fully furnished."
While this home is contemporary in style, the spaces are designed for traditional uses. So many contemporary homes have big open areas that are a mush of uses. This home has specific rooms for specific uses. You never have to guess what you are supposed to do in a particular place. It is evident. And it is classy.

The main entry hall is broad and long. It leads to the two story living room at the rear of the house. One wing juts to the right where two of the guest bedrooms each with en-suite bath are located. A wide opening leads to the left where the office, laundry, and kitchen can be found.

The main floor bedroom at the pool side is a wonderful guest suite for today but would make a great master bedroom should the need arise.

The second guest bedroom is located on the main floor as well. It has access to a private outdoor sitting area plus a spacious en-suite bath.

A wall of windows and travertine marble lead to the second floor master suite and rooftop orchid garden. The master bedroom area includes two separate his and hers baths (or his and his or hers and hers baths - this is Key West!). 

The rooftop sundeck and shower provides ultimate privacy for sunning and communing with nature. You will find it a rare day when you use the bath or indoor shower with such a beautiful outdoor shower so handy. 

The backside of the roof has solar panels which produce a substantial part of the energy for this home. The house actually sells energy back to Keys Energy on some days. 

The rooftop deck provides a great view of the pool and rear garden area. This space is totally secluded. The property located next door to the west is a huge rear yard of a large home located on Flagler Avenue that extends all the way to Von Phister Street. The rear yard there is filled with ancient trees to provide cooling shade and privacy to the owner of 1020 Von Phister Street.

1020 Von Phister Street is offered at $1,449,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos.  I took some additional photos which you can see if you CLICK HERE.

Even though I live in the Casa Marina area and, in fact, live about 100 feet east of 1020 Von Phister Street, I decided to do some internet surfing to find some words penned by others that describe the area. There I found William McKeen's discussion in  MILE MARKER ZERO:The Movable Feast of Key West where he wrote about Thomas McGuane's purchasing a nearby property on Von Phister Street.

"He sold the Ann Street place and bought a second home in Key West. This house on [1011] Von Phister Street was in a tonier neighborhood, just a mile across the island, but another world from the drunken debauchery and temptations of Duval Street. The new place was near the Casa Marina, Henry Flagler's enormous resort hotel at the end of the continent. The neighborhood was quiet, home to the cleris of Key West, a better place for his wife and you son, with a guesthouse out back he could use as a writer's studio. It was as close to a cloistered suburban life as the crowded little island could allow."

I love living in the Casa Marina area. And I am really serious about the beauty of the very special home at 1020 Von Phister Street. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 to schedule a showing of this property. You will be very pleasantly surprised. I am buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

White Street Pier is an easy nighttime stroll away

1020 Von Phister Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

Entry Hall

Would you like a place that seems far removed from the hustle and bustle of the regular world; a place designed by a world famous architect as his Key West getaway; a place where each room is unique; a home where each bedroom has its own private veranda; Then consider the home just listed by Preferred Properties (that's where I work but this is not my listing) at 1020 Von Phister Street in the Casa Marina Area of Key West. The listing Realtor describes this special property this way:

"Award wining Architect built and designed this home for himself in 2002 on one of the prettiest blocks in the Casa Marina. Just recently it has been improved even more to reflect the Key West lifestyle. As you enter the foyer you are greeted with an abundance of light and a view of the massive sliding doors that open to the pool and tropical landscaping. The home consists of 3 ensuite bedrooms, office, laundry room and a kitchen that opens to the living and dining area. The unusually large upstairs master has two bathrooms and a great outdoor shower on an oversized deck surrounded by Orchids. An elaborate solar power system supplies the electric and heats the pool There are two rolling gates for off street parking."

Living and Dining Areas share a view of the beautiful pool and gardens to the rear

The Chef is never far from the action in this open kitchen

The architecture and design lets you know upon entry that you are someplace "special". The formal entry entices you to walk through to the living room with its two story view of the pool and gardens. Each of the two bedrooms on the main level have a private bath and private veranda. The stairway to the second floor has windows with muted views of the garden to the east. Then you enter the large master suite with his and hers (or in Key West it could be his and his, or hers and hers) bathrooms. The master suite has a built in bookcase that overlooks the living room below and the pool and gardens. If that isn't enough, the master suite has its private second floor veranda which would be great for some stunning sunning. And there is a even an orchid garden adjacent to the private outdoor shower with obscured views of the forest primeval next door. It's like having a park next door.

Master Bedroom with his and hers baths

The three block section of Von Phister between White Street to the east and Reynolds Street to the west has several giant mahogany trees and numerous other palm and ornamental trees that give the stretch an almost park like feel. Von Phister Street runs parallel to Flagler Avenue which leads to the Casa Marina Hotel two blocks west. Von Phister is very quiet street close to everything, yet far enough away not to be in the middle of anything. You can walk to the beaches in five minutes or so. You can ride your bike to one of about seven gyms or yoga places within 5 blocks. There's a nearby grocery store, a Dairy Queen, some art galleries, churches, and the Glynn Archer School. While those businesses are near, they are not in the area itself. And that means your neighbors are homes and not businesses. You have to go leave the sanctity of Von Phister to go back to the real world. It's not that far away. But it is far enough.

1020 Von Phister Street has 1977 sq ft of living space and sits on a large 4558 sq ft lot (46.75 x 97.25) lot. The house was built new (not remodeled) in 2002. There isn't another house like it anywhere. It is real a beauty. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this house and to view listing photos.


I got to take my own photos which you can see if you CLICK HERE. I live across the street and to the east just a tad bit. I love living in this area. And I am really serious about the beauty of the very special home at 1020 Von Phister Street. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 to schedule a showing of this property. You will be very pleasantly surprised. I am buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

White Street Pier is an easy nighttime stroll away

1020 Von Phister Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

Want to live far from the Madding Crowd? Want to have a place where you will feel confident nobody, but nobody will ever build a place that can look down onto your pool or make noise that will wake you up at the crack of 3:00 AM? Consider becoming my neighbor by buying the really sweet home at 1020 Von Phister Street in the Casa Marina Area of Key West.

1020 Von Phister Street is described this way by the listing Realtor:
"This extraordinary home was custom designed and built with master craftsmanship in 2002 by an award-winning architect. Situated on a beautiful block of the Casa Marina area, the property has 3 bedrooms plus an office, 4 bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, large windows for light and off street parking for 2 cars. An outdoor shower on the second floor master bedroom porch has wonderful privacy and serene views of the gardens and pool."

This is not an ordinary "house". The architecture and design lets you know upon entry that you are someplace "special". The formal entry entices you to walk through to the living room with its two story view of the pool and garden. Each of the two bedrooms on the main level have a private bath and private veranda. The stairway to the second floor has windows with muted views of the garden to the east. Then you enter the large master suite with his and hers (or in Key West his and his, or hers and hers) bathrooms. The master suite has a built in book ledge that overlooks the living room below and the pool and gardens. If that isn't enough, the master suite has its private second floor veranda which would be great for some stunning sunning. And there is a even a private outdoor shower CLICK HERE with obscured views of the forest primeval next door. (That property runs from Flagler to Von Phister with a depth of 199 feet and a width of 52.75 feet. CLICK HERE to see the stand of huge trees that will not be taken down during the lifetime of anyone reading this blog.) Those trees provide so much privacy that I want to buy this house.

The house next door to the east is a second home for somebody else. The other properties in the neighborhood are mostly single family homes on large lots.

This particular area has a lot of mahogany and other tall trees that make the streets particularly beautiful. Von Phister Street runs parallel to Flagler Avenue which leads to the Casa Marina Hotel two blocks west. Von Phister is very quiet street close to everything, yet far enough away not to be in the middle of anything. You can walk to the beaches in five minutes or less. You can ride your bike to one of about seven gyms or yoga places within 5 blocks. There's a nearby grocery store, a Dairy Queen, some art galleries, a paint store, some churches, etc. But none are that close. You have to go leave the sanctity of Von Phister to go back to the real world. It's not that far. But it is far enough.

This is the deal. 1020 Von Phister Street was under contract until last week. Something happened and the property is now back on the market and it is now priced at $1,299,000 or $657 per sq ft. The house is 1977 sq ft and sits on a large 4558 sq ft lot (46.75 x 97.25) lot. The house is only seven years old, and it is really a beauty. The owner of this house has already purchased another house a block or so away. This is not a distress sale!

CLICK HERE for more detailed information and photos of this sweet home. I live across the street and to the east just a tad bit. I love living in this area. And I am really serious about the beauty of this very special home. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 to schedule a showing of this property. You will be very pleasantly surprised.