"Through the crystal-clear air Lori could hear the ringing of the
agent's bell...that had begun when the package had first been sighted,
carefully picking it's way past the outer reefs toward the lighthouse at
Whitehead's Point." Thelma Strabel,
Reap the Wild Wind
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| 1940's view |
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| 2014 view |
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| October 2015 view |
A
new compound of seven single family homes is being built at what was
once called Whitehead's Point. Today tourists flock to the same location
which is now known as the Southernmost Point. During the daytime
tourists will pose and take photos of themselves by the marker at the
corner where South Street and Whitehead Street meet. As night approaches
the tourists move down to Mallory Square to watch sunset. If you buy
one of these new homes you can watch the sun set from your rooftop
balcony and rest assured that nobody else in town has such a view.
Later in the evening you may even hear waves as they lap the coral rock
which in earlier times one could hear the agent's bell. This is the yin
and yang of this property.
The listing Realtor describes this new property this way:
"Premier Old Town Location With Ocean Views. Key West's newest residential gated
community offers three and four bedroom homes with three and half baths and
approximately 1700 square feet of living space. Enjoy all the advantages of a
private home along with the professional management of an HOA. All homes include
luxury finishes, private decks and pools with beautiful Key West architecture
and lushly landscaped grounds as well as roof top decks with views of the ocean
and an assigned parking space."
The
home I viewed and featured in today's blog will have four bedrooms,
three and one-half baths, a roof top balcony, first and second floor
front porches, and a main level rear deck with private pool . The
builder showed me around the property and spoke with such enthusiasm
that I thought about buying here. Seriously!
The
site plan above shows Whitehead Street on the left. The demolition
debris shown in the above photos will be removed and a new private lane
off Whitehead Street will provide access to the private parking. The
home in today's blog is actually 1319 Whitehead Street.
CLICK HERE to see the Key West mls datasheet on today's home.
The
main floor will include a first floor bedroom with private bath, a
guest bath, great room and kitchen each with 9.5 foot ceiling.
Impact Glass rated doors at the rear open out to the
IPE deck
and private pool area. The existing utility poles will be removed and
all utilities will be relocated underground. Fill dirt will be brought
in to elevate the ground level such that the new six foot privacy fence
and lush landscaping will make the abutting property to the rear to
disappear. The homes are being stick built on site. Buyers who look now
can see the framing and attention to detail in this approximate
1700 sq ft home. The exteriors are
Hardiboard siding and
with impact glass windows and doors. Even the round porthole window on
the stairway is impact glass. The metal roof will exceed Florida's
stringent building code requirements. These features will greatly reduce
fire, flood, and windstorm insurances. Hardiboard siding stands up to
our tropical climate and needs painted less often than traditional wood
siding and is pest resistant as well. Lower insurance rates and less
maintenance mean less money being spent on an annual basis year after
year. These are genuine long term savings benefits that serious buyers
should consider.
Two guest bedrooms on the second floor will share a Jack and Jill
bathroom. The master bedroom has a large en--suite bath and closet. The
master bedroom ceiling will soar to about 14ft in height. The builder
plans to introduce Dade County Pine into various parts of each house as
artistic elements to give this super strong contemporary construction
the feel of an historic Old Town home.
A
doorway just off the master suite opens out to the roof top deck. I
managed to overcome my fear of heights and climbed a ladder to get up
onto this space to take a couple of photos of the incredible views these
homes will have. A stair and railing will be added later during
construction. The view up there is incredible. You'll be able to see the
sea in morning and night. And if you turn around you'll have a pretty
incredible city view as well.
The
builder is taking the time to add little touches to make these homes
special. One example is the fish head rafters cut out by carpenters on
the job site. If you look closely you'll see the eye and mouth of a fish
on each rafter. You also notice that the underside of the eave is not
yet painted. The builder told me it will be painted blue like our other
old houses in Old Town. Unlike most of the houses in Old Town, this
house will have ocean views and will be less expensive to insure and
maintain. The home owner association will provide weekly pool and yard
maintenance for each homeowner. Since this home will have four bedrooms,
it might just make a great monthly vacation rental for an owner that
can't be here all year long. The HOA can take care of the exterior of
your property when you are not in town. And the rental income can help
pay for the home.
CLICK HERE to view more photos of this property including historic photos of the site.
Please call me,
Gary Thomas,
305-766-2642,
to schedule a private showing of this really interesting new home in
Old Town Key West. I think these homes will sell quickly now that
potential buyers can see the quality of construction and attention to
detail that is going into each home that is priced at just
$1,425,000. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at
Preferred Properties Key West.
