622 Grinnell Street ~ Key West

If you have been thinking of buying one of the few remaining  untouched Grand Conch Houses in Key West, may I suggest that you consider looking at the 622 Grinnell Street. This place is in pretty much original condition, and it is loaded with charm. You won't see stainless steel appliances, marble, or granite anywhere. You will see original Dade County Pine walls, high ceilings, ancient original windows with window panes that ripple, wood floors that slope a bit in some places, porches in front, in back, on the side, and up high. You will be amazed at the awesomeness of this old house. If your are a pessimist by nature, don't look. All you will see is the work and the money you will spend.  But if you are an optimist, you must look. You will see the innate beauty of this old place where you can use your creative juices to create a wondrous new living space for generations to follow.

622 Grinnell Street is listed by Preferred Properties Key West, but it is not my listing. The listing agent describes the house this way:

"Wonderful, original conch home with three legal units. Great location and superb street presence. Access to the rear cottage is from a lane.Possible conversion back to single family and would be a really spectacular property as such. Opportunity to work with a property that has been maintained while leaving a Key West flavor."

I did a second review of the Sanborn Fire Maps of Key West and learned that 622 Grinnell Street first appeared in the 1892 edition. It could have built several years before that because, for some strange reason, that block of Grinnell Street was omitted in the 1889 edition. Anyway, we know the house existed in 1892.  I found a photo of the property that was taken in 1965.  Compare that black and white photo to a photo I took a couple of months ago. 

The property consists of the main house on Grinnell Street and the rear (guest) cottage on Canfield Lane. The main house does not have (and may have never had) an interior staircase. I have shown this property several times and have been unable to find any evidence of a prior interior staircase.  However, the house is quite large and there are a couple of alternative areas where a new staircase could be added which would then lead to the conversion into a single family residence. Until a few months ago one sibling owner occupied the first floor and another occupied the second and third floor.  The cottage has been a rental for some time. This explains the mls listing as three legal units.

622 Grinnell Street has 1820 sq ft of interior living space. The cottage has an additional 512 sq ft.  The house and cottage sit on a large lot on one of the quietest blocks in Old Town. Grinnell Street dead ends at the corner of Angela Street which is the northern boundary of the Key West cemetery.  In my  opinion the highest and best use of this property would be to convert the main building into a single family residence and update the guest cottage. There is adequate room for a pool on the south side of the house and there is room for off street parking beside the guest cottage.

The photos below were taken a few months back when the property was owner occupied. Tenants now occupy the property and it does not show the same.

Main floor living room

Third floor apartment

Third floor apartment with old scuttles

The rooftop deck on the main house has an incredible view of the area. You can see the spires at St Mary's Basilica. Most of the lot is covered with tropical foliage and red brick pavers. The house itself has been well maintained and looks great.  Buyers who seek Dade County Pine and old glass with ripples will fall in love with this old house. There are little cubby holes and scuttles and other architectural treasures galore.

                                                            Third floor rooftop deck

Second floor living room with front with front porch

The listing agent states that the property as a whole has 2740 sq ft of living space and sits on a 57' x 83' (4683 sq ft) lot. The house has not been touched in years and would benefit from a thorough renovation. But understand that the property is livable as is. But it could be so much more! CLICK HERE to view a slideshow of photos I took of this property.

I sold the house next door at 618 Grinnell Street a couple of years ago. It was in similar condition and it was owned by the same folks that own 622 Grinnell Street. My buyer got a much better price than the asking price. That does not infer a buyer for 618 Grinnell would get the same type of deal, but you never know what price you can agree upon until you make a real offer.  My buyer did an excellent renovation of his property for which he received a Ceramic Star for Historic Restoration. (He took out most of the old trees and vegetation, added a pool, parking on the side, and introduced new native landscaping.) Look at the before and after and imagine how proud you would be to receive to similar recognition.

The 600 block of Grinnell Street is one of the quietest blocks in Old Town. That is because it ends at Angela Street which is the northern border of the Key West cemetery. That means that Conch trains, trolley cars, and Duck Tour vehicles will not be using this street. Those vehicles cannot traverse Angela Street. Your life will be quieter because of this. Occasionally you will still see tourists walking by or riding bikes. And you will see neighbors go across the street to use the Grinnell Street Pocket Park.

Five Brothers Grocery and Sandwich Shop is located down on the corner of Southard Street. The Key West Historic Seaport is located three blocks further north and Duval Street is located five blocks to the west. Most of the gyms and yoga studios are located within a five to ten minute walk of this location.

622 Grinnell Street is offered at $1,200,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet on this property. Or better than that, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

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1327 White Street - The Casa Marina District - Key West

If you have been looking for an impressive four bedroom home with a pool, off street parking, and lots of Key West charm, please consider 1327 White Street as an affordable alternative to more highly priced homes of similar age and condition in Old Town.  The listing Realtor describes this 2862 sq ft home this way:

 "Luxury renovation of a historic 1880s three story home. Neighboring the highly coveted Casa Marina District. A perfect combination of every modern luxury a discerning buyer would expect and beautiful 1800s historical architecture. The property features restored Dade County Pine throughout as well as heart pine floors. Crown molding, cathedral ceilings, a spacious master bedroom suite with a walk in closet are just some of the features you will fall in love with. There is a 350 sq ft treetop deck off the third floor with stunning views of the tropical foliage. Sliding glass doors all along the great room open up to the pool and jacuzzi. Perfect for entertaining your guests and family. Spacious floor plan, natural light throughout."

A gracious front porch welcomes guests and provides ample space to sit and watch the world go by. Higg's Beach and Rest Beach are just four blocks to the south. The shops and restaurants of the Key West arts district are three blocks to the north and Duval Street is five minutes by bike to the west.
This house was made for someone that wants a big house with lots of interesting rooms and spaces. This house is the anti-salt box because the geometry of the place is so varied. Look at the photo just above. That proves my point for sure. This home has the appeal of a Queen Anne with a bit of Conch added.  Lots of angles and numerous building materials have blended historic sensibility and current trends together to create a really unique living space. The third floor can be either used as a fifth bedroom or game room. That room provides access to the private roof top deck with commanding tree-top views of the island and the large kidney shaped pool and separate spa below. There are very few homes in Key West that have this kind of view!

 

The front entry hall (viewed in first two photos above) leads to the second and third floor bedrooms. The main level is a gracious reinterpretation of the historic home with modern lighting, new windows and doors, HVAC, and new kitchen appliances and cabinets all of which are highlighted by the crown molding that defines each living space.

The house sits on a large 4678 sq ft (46.75' x 100.08') located five blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. A white picket fence spans the front of the property. A large gate on the right provides access to the large off street parking space. Notice the wooden vine covered trellis to the right in the photo above. The house faces west toward White Street. The southern side yard is quite large. The parking space is located there (as noted above). Multiple sets of French doors open to the rear side yard and back deck and pool area. The pool area is surrounded on three sides by mature specimen palm trees. The pool and spa are quite large, but there is plenty of room left over for outdoor living. There is an existing shed with water that a new owner might want to expand and turn into an outdoor kitchen. That's the trend for high end homes.

1327 White Street is offered at $1,400,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls data sheet. CLICK HERE to view more photos of this really beautiful Key West property which offers so many of the features buyers seek in a Key West home.  Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this beautiful home. I live in the Casa Marina and really love the convenience it offers. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

507 Frances Street - Old Town - Key West

507 Frances Street is located on one of the best blocks in Old Town

You probably have strolled by, rode your bike past, or driven by 507 Frances Street and wondered what it is and then easily continued walking, riding, or driving. It gets noticed because of its atypical architecture, but then it gets ignored because of it. People can't figure out what it is or why it should interest them as a potential home in Key West. I'm here to shed some light on this property and perhaps create a little interest in it.

507 Frances Street (above) in 1965 with suggested changes by me

507 Frances Street intersects with Curry Lane in 2011

I found the Black & White Photo (above) that shows how this property looked back in 1965. Compare that photo with the color photo immediately below. The place has not changed much. You will note that I added some text to the Black and White Photo to suggest possible changes to this house because I think change is exactly what is needed.

The Red Doors on Caroline Street

701 Southard Street Key West - January 2011

302 Angela Street

507 Frances Street is one of six double gable houses in Key West that I am aware of. The others are located in the Meadows area, Petronia Street, and two familiar properties (the Red Doors on Caroline Street and an apartment building at 701 Southard Street), and the Angelina Guest House at 302 Angela Street. If you study 507 Frances and compare it to either the Red Doors or 701 Southard you will immediately see that Frances Street architecture is basically the same. That is, there are two buildings seemingly joined at a common point with the resultant double gable roof. 507 Frances is different, however, since the porches on Frances Street were enclosed sometime in the past - at least pre-1965. (When I first moved to Key West I was told many of the larger old homes had the front porches enclosed during World War II to house military personnel stationed here. That may or may not be true.) But these four properties share another interesting feature: they are all site-situated right at or very near the sidewalk. There is no front yard or fence to set the building off from the sidewalk.

Imagine the front porch enclosures eliminated and the interior ceilings vaulted

Imagine the rear with a pool and French doors up and down with second floor cantilevered deck

This building was built around 1870. The public records show the current building as having 2107 sq ft of living space that is situated on a 38' x 50' lot. The house abuts Curry Lane, one of the slow lanes of Key West.

The listing Realtor describes 507 Frances Street this way:

"This sturdy double gabled building is situated in a very nice area of Old Town Key West. Historically, it is said to have served as one of the early schoolhouses in Town, then later as a church. Presently in use as a 3-unit licensed year round rental producing total annual rent of $48,000, with the tenants paying utilities. The building could convert nicely to a fine single-family residence."

I showed this property in early 2010 but neglected to take any interior photos. The property is presently used as three rental units. The front porches are integral parts of the current usage. I recall the original exterior walls at front are still in place and doorways open onto the porches. An interior stairway provides access to the three units as currently configured. It works fine for the current usage but a new stairway could redefine the usage as a single family residence. The second floor units is very charming but it could be a wonderful master bedroom with en-suite bath and rear deck overlooking a new pool below. The ceilings could be vaulted and the whole interior spaces transformed into a very decent sized Old Town residence with a striking architectural style. Conversion of the enclosed porches to open porches would reduce the living area by about 300 sq ft but it would add a tremendous amount of charm to the facade.

CLICK HERE to checkout the Key West mls database and to view listing photos of the interior. This is not a short sale but I would advise the current owner purchased this property in 2006 at a much higher price than the current asking price of $599,000 or $273 per sq ft. A new owner could keep the property as is and collect rent or do some interesting renovations. I vote for the latter.

If you would like to see 507 Frances Street please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Our office is the listing office for this property.

1327 White Street - Key West - Bank Owned Grand Conch House

1327 White Street - Key West - Bank Owned - Grand Conch House

Just listed by Preferred Properties (that's where I work), 1327 White Street in the Casa Marina area of Key West, Florida. This Grand Conch House is Bank Owned.

This is how the listing broker describes 1327White Street:

"This beautiful conch style home offers wonderful architectural features such as gracious front porch, gorgeous hardwood floors, exposed wood walls and ceilings, multiple sets of tall windows, crown moldings and four bedrooms including a third story bedroom with it's own 350 sq. ft. terrace offering treetop views of the island. There is also a den and four and a half baths all with beautiful stone and tile floors. The kitchen has a wood lined pantry and there is a separate laundry room. The grounds feature one off-street parking space plus a pool and spa. This home offers a lot of character and sq. footage."

Not a North American Salt Box by any means!

This house was made for someone that wants a big house with lots of interesting rooms and spaces. This house is the anti-salt box because the geometry of the place is so varied. Look at the photo just above. That proves my point for sure. Lots of angles and numerous building materials have blended historic sensibility and current trends together to create a really unique living space. This property has 2414 sq ft of living space. The third floor can be either used as a fifth bedroom or game room. That room provides access to the private roof top deck with commanding tree-top views of the island and the large kidney shaped pool and separate spa below. There are very few homes in Key West that have this kind of view!

The house sits on a large 4678 sq ft (46.75' x 100.08') located five blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. A white picket fence spans the front of the property. A large gate on the right provides access to the large off street parking space. Notice the wooden trellis to the right in the photo below. The house faces west onto White Street. The southern side yard is quite large. The parking space is located there (as noted above). Multiple sets of French doors open to the rear side yard and back deck and pool area. The pool area is surrounded on three sides by mature specimen palm trees. The pool and spa are quite large, but there is plenty of room left over for outdoor living. There is an existing shed with water that a new owner might want to expand and turn into an outdoor kitchen. That's the trend for high end homes.

A gracious front porch welcomes guests and provides ample space to sit and watch the world go by. Higg's Beach and Rest Beach are just four blocks to the south. The shops and restaurants of the Key West arts district are three blocks to the north and Duval Street is five minutes by bike to the west.


Guests enter into a large semi-formal entry way with a grand staircase to the second floor to the left and a large living room to the right. This home is filled with Dade County Pine which is accented by bright white crown molding, columns, and trim. The southwest corner of the room has a bay window that creates an interesting design element for this room (and which is repeated in the sitting room portion of the master suite on the second floor). The rear third of the of the main floor space houses the kitchen and dining areas. Three sets of French doors open onto the pool and garden area from this location.

The massive staircase brings guests to the second floor landing where the extra master suite with sitting area, bedroom, and en-suite bath are located. Two other bedrooms and baths share this floor. The third floor has an extra large bedroom or game room plus bath. This floor also provides access to a huge rooftop deck with "forever" views of the island.

The pool area is behind the house but gardens are located on all four sides of the property. A small building at the right rear is just aching to be converted into an outdoor kitchen.

1327 White Street is Bank Owned. It is offered for sale at $1,500,000 or $621 per sq ft. CLICK HERE to checkout the mls datasheet and to view photos of the this property.

If you would like to see 1327 White Street (or any other house in Key West), please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642. 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.