1409 Duncan Street, Key West - An Eyebrow House

The listing Realtor describes the eyebrow house located at 1409 Duncan Street in the Midtown area of Key West like this:

"Classic ''Eyebrow''-style house is unique to Key West. Original 2-story structure built in 1890; 2 cigar-makers' cottages attached at a later date. The blend of historic architectural styles and additions needs refining, and price reflects the potential renovation project. Roughly 2000-square foot open-floor plan on ground level includes large vestibule or music room, vaulted ceilings in dining area, a glass-walled living room and 2 bedrooms, plus bonus office wing. The master suite is the only room on the second floor. Off-street parking for 2+vehicles, and room for pool in L-shape lot."

I got to see the inside of this home for the very first time during Realtor caravan yesterday. I had, however,  seen the house from the outside many times over the years including when I blogged about the house across the street a few years ago and again when I wrote about the famed Rose Tattoo house a half block away to the east.

 1410 Duncan Street, Key West is located directly opposite from today's featured home.

The former gate to 1421 Duncan Street in Key West.This is the famed Rose Tattoo house. Tennessee William's personal residence is next door to the east.

I dug into my old shoebox and found two photos which show the home back in the 1960s.

The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows this house as having been built in 1889. The listing agent cites construction at 1890.  It's of no matter which date is correct. I could immediately tell this house was old when I looked at the extra wide Dade County Pine walls. Those wider boards distinguish older houses from the "newer" construction (in the early 1900s) where the Dade County Pine boars are a bit more narrow.

Today's blog is a bit of a departure from others about houses like this because it is atypical of other eyebrow houses.  These houses get the name "eyebrow" because of the second floor windows sheltered by the front roof eave which extends out over the house supported by columns or posts.  In the olden days, before electric fans and later air conditioning, shade and air flow cooled homes. The second floor windows could be left open during rain storms which allows air to flow.

I have sold a couple of eyebrow homes and been inside many. This is the very first eyebrow house I have been in where the stairway to the second floor is located on adjacent to an exterior wall. My experience has been that stairs are located in the center of the house and most often land at the front where a small hallway leads to a bedroom on either side. Not all eyebrow houses are the same size. Some are fairly small while others are quite large. The common theme among even the larger eyebrows is that they have two bedrooms and usually share a bath located at the rear of the stairway landing on the second floor.

This house, however, has one bedroom which spans the width of the second floor. The stairway has a fairly high pitch which makes me wonder it is original to the house or whether it replaced a center hallway staircase.  There is a second bedroom located at the first floor front adjacent to the entry hall.

The top photo above shows the entry hall and the doorway to the first floor bedroom. The kitchen appears to the right. The lower photo shows the living area followed by a glassed in room akin to a Florida room. There is a third bedroom to the rear plus additional rooms. The living areas and Florida room are atypical of an eyebrow house. The listing agent suggests there is a "blend" of architectural styles. I think a good architect could re-work the house to develop a theme that combines the 19th century eyebrow with the more modern living areas at the rear.

According to the MLS this home has 2506 sq ft of living space situated on a 5016 sq ft lot. The L-shaped lot measures 45.5' on Duncan Street that runs 88' to the rear and which extends on  the rear side of the eastward 23 additional feet.  If you look at what I call the Florida room (bricked floors with sliding glass doors) you may wonder as I did - why was this done?  The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows the gross square footage as 3776 sq ft and I believe it is the Florida room which accounts for this.  As soon as I walked into this space I thought I would demolish this space and open up the back and side yard to be redeveloped into a tropical garden and pool area. The confined space, no matter how much glass there is, makes no sense for contemporary living in my opinion. 

The black and white photos from the 1960s teach us this home has had a carport since then and that the front yard was defined by a white picket fence. The sundeck is located atop the Florida room. I doubt that would be allowed A part of the fence is now gone, The exterior staircase on the west side of the house is no longer functional.  I searched the Key West Historic Resources Survey 2011 to determine if this house is considered a contributing resource and learned it was not evaluated as a part of the official survey and was determined not to be eligible for the National Registry of Historic Properties. That suggests to me a new owner can clean up the facade and not be confined to preserving the carport, sundeck, or current fencing.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 1409 Duncan Street which is offered at $999,999. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a personal look. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

845 Galveston Lane, Key West - Elegant Eyebrow Renovation

One Sunday morning in March of this year I was out taking photos of various renovation projects in Key West when I saw another large house being built a half a block away. This startled me because the house I was photographing at 723 Olivia Street is located on a one-way street. I had not seen any other construction on my way to the Olivia house. I walked back down Olivia to Galveston Lane, looked north, and saw huge old eyebrow house which was already well underway.

I immediately decided I would return to 845 Galveston Lane again and again and again to photograph the remaking of this old house. The three above photos told me a lot about this house even before I went in search of more info. First and foremost is that this home is an "eyebrow" house which is unique to Key West.

In his book The Houses of Key West  Alex Cammerer wrote about his first visit to Key West which turned into a love affair with the architecture of Old Town. He referred to eyebrow houses simply stating "with their front porch roofs extending demurely over the second-story windows, hence the term eyebrows. I have discovered that they are unique to Key West and are not found anywhere else in the country."

Cammerer then compared the eyebrow style to a salt box laid on its side with the roof line extended downwards to rest upon columns which creates a permanent awning that spans the entire width of the house sheltering the second floor windows from light, rain, and wind. Back in real old days  - the time before air conditioning and even before electricity - houses were cooled naturally using window placement for cross ventilation, shutters, awnings, scuttles, and trees. The eyebrow house provided a different manner to provide air circulation. And it did so with great style.

As I walked eastward on Olivia Street I noticed new construction at the rear of 845 Galveston Lane. Well, I saw it earlier but now I had a better view. A single story addition and pool were being added to the rear. The lot is quite large for Old Town - 50 foot by 100 foot deep or 5,000 square feet. I have never done a survey of lot sizes but know from experience the majority of lots are 2,500 square feet. That small size restricts so much of what a homeowner can do as a matter of right. Having trees and other buildings can restrict renovations even more. So the allure of this lot with expansion potential made it very desirable. Since the house is tucked away and off the beaten path, the location provides privacy many buyers covet. If you are really reading this blog and really looking at the photos you will have noticed the house next door to the north is a mobile home. That is not a construction trailer. That is an actual real life living space. There used to be more mobile homes in this area. This is the only current mobile home of which I am aware. At some time in the future it will go away. But until then the mobile home is part of the charm of this area.

During the course of a few months the original coral rock piers were replaced as were the columns, windows, siding, and roof. The old house almost started to look new.

845 Galveston Lane was co-listed for sale on June 29th for $2,400,000 by Roger Emmons (Truman & Company) and Doug Mayberry (Doug Mayberry Real Estate). It went under contract in a matter of days and closed on September 30th at $2,300,000. Selling agent was Jennifer Newman of Truman & Company. The listing agents described the property this way:

"Located on a secluded lane in the heart of Old Town, total renovation of an eyebrow home by renowned architect, Michael Ingram, features luxury finishes throughout, 28 x 10 foot swim-out pool and 3 off-street parking spaces. There are 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths on the first floor and a grand master suite on the second floor with rooftop overlook and separate study. The doors and windows are impact rated and insulated. Floors are 8-inch-wide end matched hickory. Moldings are custom milled with 7.5 inch baseboards. The kitchen counters are Carrara marble and quartz with butcher block work surface, and there is a Viking refrigerator and 5 burner Jenn Air gas cooktop. The baths are Carrara marble floors and walls with Verde marble accents and the master has a Jacuzzi soaking tub."

Please CLICK HERE to view all the photos I took and couple of historic photos of this and others homes on Galveston Lane. If you are thinking of buying a home in Key West and are not working with a Realtor, please consider calling me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find (or create) your home in Paradise. 

628 Frances Street, Key West - Sweet Eyebrow Cottage

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West 628 Frances Street. This is a really sweet miniature eyebrow cottage complete with a white picket fence and garden. Some of the prettiest, and a couple of the most expensive, homes in town are located on this block which is within easy walking distance to the Historic Key West Seaport, Duval Street, and Sunset Celebration.

Before starting today's blog I checked the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned that this home first appeared on the the 1899 map. (This entire block was omitted from the 1889 map which does not infer the houses were not built then.) I learned the house was previously numbered 626 Frances Street but appeared as 628 Frances St. on the map which suggests to me the house was around much earlier than 1899. I then got out my shoe box and found a photo of this property taken fifty years ago. If you compare it with the color photo above you will note several structural changes including replacement of the windows and door, addition of shutters,  replacement of porch columns and addition of railing, and the replacement of the picket fence with a minor increase in height. What has not changed is the salt box shape of this small house turned on its side. The eyebrow house though not unique to Key West is rare - especially in this smaller size. There are approximately 75 of these special houses on our island. At first glance you will note the individual metal roof shingles as they rise to the gable. Then you will may notice the sawtooth addition at the rear. If you stand at the front gate you will see the house has five bays - two windows down and three windows hidden below the steep sloping roof line which creates the extended porch. These upper windows were designed to permit the windows to be open to provide ventilation even during a rain storm.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Wonderfully maintained cottage in an absolutely superb location in Old Town. Move in ready with some nice upgrades; granite counters in kitchen, Pergo flooring on first floor, recently installed central A/C and washer and dryer. Some Dade county pine and great front porch. A well kept side yard and fencing all around. Move in now or renovate to your taste."

I had the opportunity to see the property late Friday afternoon - in the rain. I only had my Nikon pocket camera so the picture quality is not as good as I would like, but the photos I took are representative of what this home has to offer. When I stepped inside the front door the very first thing I noticed was the staircase in the left corner. The dark wood contrasted to the new blond Pergo floors. Then I noticed the compact size of the living room. I have been in many small homes before so I knew this place would not be large. The walls have wallpaper which tends to visually shrink the size of the room to the mind's eye. I am not being critical - just making an observation.

According to the listing Realtor this house has 1017 sq ft of living space which includes two bedrooms and one and one-half baths. The main floor bedroom is located just off the front entrance. A set of petite French doors provide entry to this space. You should notice that there is no closet in this bedroom. An armoire provides a place to hang one's clothes.

The second bedroom is located on the second floor. This room measures 24' X 18' from eave to eave - but not interior living space. The ceiling drops down to knee walls which provide a vertical space for placement of furniture. It appears to me that the wall unit air conditioner visible in the photo below is located in a space which most likely was a scuttle when this home was first built. A scuttle is an opening in the roof which allows hot air to rise through the house to the outdoors.

This is not the first time I have seen a toilet and sink in a place like this. A friend of mine who is a local designer totally changed a similar space and put in a real bath.

In his description of this property the listing Realtor said the house is move-in ready but opined a new owner might want to renovate. I am not being critical of this home which I think is really cute. I think it could be better. I think the Pergo floors ought to go away as should the wall paper. The enclosed porch on the side ought to be more fully integrated into the kitchen.The kitchen could be upgraded and reconfigured to provide more storage and utility. This might be accomplished by removing the half wall that separates the kitchen and dining area and creating a small island with a new quartz dining extension. The opening between living area and rear sawtooth addition might be expanded if a steel beam could be added to support the weight of the second floor. Finally, I'd try to enclose the second floor bath or remove it entirely and add a real closet in its place.

This house could work as a full time residence for a single person or couple who are minimalists. There just is not a lot storage space in this house so whoever lives here full time will need to be well organized. CLICK HERE to view more photos.

If renovated correctly, I think this place could look absolutely magical. I think it would definitely work as a monthly vacation rental. I think a lot of people revel in small and charming spaces. This is already cute. I think it could become even better. There is a large side yard that might provide enough space to add a swimming pool. Our Historic Architectural Review Commission and the City Planning Department would have to approve the addition of a pool to the lot. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 628 Frances Street which is offered for sale at $899,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this lovely eyebrow cottage. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1109 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida - Bank Owned Property

The Just Listed Bank Owned property at 1109 Fleming Street in Key West is certainly something to cheer about. This Old Town home dates back to before 1889 when it first appeared in the historic Sanborn Fire Map for that year when the property was identified as 416 Fleming Street instead of 1109 Fleming.  The numbers were changed in the 1899 map. The facade of the house today looks quite similar to the way it did back in 1965 when the black and white photo below was taken. Thank goodness for our Historic Architectural Review Commission and the Guidelines that help us protect our architectural treasures like this eyebrow house that dates back to the late 1800s. A new owner will get the opportunity to own this Bank Owned home sometime in the near future. Might that someone be you?

The listing Realtor describes this property as  an "Elegant Historic Home located a desirable area of Old Town. Large spacious rooms in main house. Downstairs has kitchen, Formal living, 1 bedroom and 1 bath and laundry room. Upstairs has 3 large bedrooms and 3 full baths. Second unit in the back of the property has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with a large loft area; all fenced in for privacy." It is much more than that. Much more.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property. I have used the term "property" instead of "house" because there are actually three structures on the huge lot that measures 50 feet wide by 170 feet deep or 8500 square feet. Frequent readers and Zillow and Trulia followers know that there are few lots in Old Town that are this large. So in addition to having three buildings, this lot is immense. But there's even more to the lot than meets the eye. If you look at the front yard you won't see any driveway cut and you would assume this potentially pretty pad lacks parking. But you would be wrong. There currently exists a carport attached to the two story cottage at the rear. Gates open out to Stickney Lane which meanders eastward to White Street just behind the Island House guest house. The carport can be upgraded and space expanded to provide additional parking.  (For trivia fans, Stickney Lane was identified as Beach Court Lane in the 1889 Sanborn Map.)

The eyebrow house is the main attraction at this property. According to the property appraiser, the eyebrow house has 2042 sq ft of living space under air. The old metal louvers partially visible in the 1965 photo were replaced - presumably when the house was updated.  There may have been more than one renovation to the property as well. The online property records do not show all building permits. Substantial improvements were made including what appears to be all new concrete piers, windows, central air-conditioning, electrical, and plumbing as well as the construction of a two story kitchen and bedroom addition to the back of the eyebrow house and the construction of the cottage at the rear of the property. The online records suggest the kitchen addition was built in 2001. The two story cottage at the rear may appears to be an older building that has been updated.  The property appraiser shows the rear cottage as being 2000 sq ft. I am not sure that is accurate.  A third building is located in the middle of the yard. It was built around 1950 and is shown as being 440 sq ft.

I took a lot of photos of the inside of the three buildings and the yard. You can see these photos if you CLICK HERE.  My opinion is the eyebrow house needs a makeover not to fix something that is broken or in need of repair. This place is not broken. It just needs some luvin. However, a new owner could be perfectly happy just moving in and turning on the electricity and water because that could work. Photos of the back cottage are below.

The middle portion of this lot includes the non-contributing 400 sq ft cottage and a bunch of trees. If the cottage and trees were to be removed, a large pool could be constructed and new gardens planted with the trees located in the right places. Perhaps the new owner would add decks to the back of the eyebrow house to include covered outdoor dining and entertaining space. These improvements would add tremendous value to this property. The good thing is there is open space on both sides of the read addition to the eyebrow house for either expansion or creation of decks or both.

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this incredible bank owned property that has a lot of genuine potential. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.