1307 Truman Avenue, Key West's Grand Dame

 Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West, that is where I work but this is not my listing, 1307 Truman Avenue, Key West. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"A notable Historic Grand Key West Home in the heart Of Old Town with 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths. Entering you are greeted by 12 ft. ceilings on both the first and second floors. A project spanning 3 years earned the owner a ceramic star for historic renovation. You can easily see the original details of the crown molding, stained glass, and Dade pine wood flooring. Off the foyer there is a front parlor with an adjoining living room and a formal dining room, which are adjacent to a dream Kitchen with Carrera marble countertops, and top of the line appliances. 4 sets of French doors and transom windows reveal a wrap around porch leading to a large pool and expansive yard. New HVAC throughout X Zone. Off Street Parking on Albury St."

Wikipedia describes Grand Dame as "In popular culture, the grande dame is usually portrayed as a slightly flamboyant woman, prone to extravagant and eccentric fashion, such as feather boas, large hats, and excessive costume jewelry. She may be overly pre-occupied with the concept of 'acting ladylike" and expect all those around her to conform to her own high standards of etiquette." This home has a prominence that cannot be denied. The wrap around verandas are her boa; the towering height is her large hat; and the gardens are her costume jewelry. As you look thru the photos below you will understand me referencing this home as a lady. It is dignified, elegant, and properly attired.

I dug down into my old shoebox and found the black and white photo taken half a century ago that photo shows the house before the rear addition was added. You can't see the addition in present day photos as it is hidden behind the white picket fence and privacy foliage. The most notable change was the creation of the third floor open balcony that overlooks Bayview Park across the street. Let's step inside and look around.

Voila - You open the door to another era. This Victorian era home was built in 1906 by cigar factory owner from Cuba. This home has all the character and formality as it did when it was built. There is a grand three story entry hall. The living room is located at the front of the house.  A Victorian era divider provides a bit of separation which allows for two distinct living areas. A similar divider provides a separation from the formal dining room.

For all of its old school formality, the new school of thought is to get a drop dead envy Key West tan laying on a raft in your private pool or sipping pina coladas under the wrap-around veranda. Your friends will hate you when they see the kewl pool views.

Each of the rooms on all three levels of the house (including the third floor) have very tall ceilings, crown molding, and exude a sense of formality we don't see in current architecture. For readers who have been in dozens of Key West Conch houses, this isn't one. This house probably more than any I have seen in Key West imparts the feel of the Victorian Era.

I bet a princess lives in this room. 

 

 

The house sits on two lots which span from Truman Avenue to Albury Street ( 161' X 46.08' or 7418 sq ft). According to the Monroe County  Property Appraiser this home has 3352 sq ft of interior living space plus 1500 sq ft of porches. Bedrooms have 12 ft ceilings. There is a second floor maid's quarters (or guest suite) with a private porch and a view of the stunning pool below.

I found the above postcard from 1900. I noted the location of 1307 Truman Avenue and also show where the Mid-Town suburbs would be built decades later. US 1 (North Roosevelt Blvd) would be created by filling in that body of water at the upper left of the photo. I took the photo below showing the view across Truman Avenue (Division Street in the old photo). This house and this view are so special. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more listing photos of 1307 Truman Avenue Key West offered for sale at $4,239,000 and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

1108 Fleming Street, Key West

 

Just listed 1108 Fleming Street, Key West.This Old Town home is post card perfect and should appeal to the most discerning buyer. The listing broker describes the home this way:

"On a famed street spanning the heart of Old Town Key West sits this quintessential 3BD/3BA Key West conch house. The charming front porch is framed with bougainvillea and the updated open floor plan opens perfectly to the great indoor/outdoor living room. The kitchen & living room are filled with natural light up to the high vaulted ceilings. Hard wood floors as well as a wall of glass out to the patio & heated pool provide class and comfort. The main house offers a 1st floor bedroom & 2nd floor owner's suite with an office space. The detached 1BD/1BA guest cottage has access off Curry lane, opens onto the sunny patio & pool area that is perfect for entertaining w/ a wet bar & space for dining. Outdoor shower & Bricked off-street parking off Curry Ln. is in the rear of the home."

 

The Monroe County Property Appraiser records show this home was substantially renovated in 1999. I assume that is when the new addition at the rear of the main house was added. That room has three sets of glass panel doors with clerestory windows above. The view from the inside looking out is captivating. The lot measures 25 Ft wide by 105 Ft deep. The guest cottage at the rear abuts Curry Lane, one of the slowest of the slow lanes in Key West. There is one off street parking space located behind the cottage. I mention this because there is no public view of the back yard, the  pool. or the back of the house - thus no need for curtains.

The master bedroom is located on the second floor. There is a little sitting room or office outside the bedroom. A small set of French doors that separate the two areas. The bath fits nicely in the front.

There is a convenience store located a the end of the block. The two best bakeries in town are located on Eaton Street, just one block to the north. Duval Street is a short stroll to the west. There are dozens of cute little cottages and big old mansions to ogle on the way to any destination.What a perfect little Key West home. Style, grace, warmth, whimsy, charm, and location. (And off street parking!) 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and lots of photos of 1108 Fleming Street, Key West offered for sale at $1,250,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

A neighboring home located at 1112 Curry Lane as photographed in 2011.

1120 Curry Lane, Key West

 

I will bet you that a lot of potential house buyers who have been scouring the Key West Association of Realtors mls website have seen the listing at 1120 Curry Lane and have no idea where it is.  If you do a Google Search and see an aerial view you will quickly learn that it is located on a one-way lane that runs parallel between Fleming Street to the north and Southard Street to the south.  You enter from White Street - about 100 feet to east and exit at Frances Street at the west. Curry Lane truly is one of the slow lanes of Key West because so few people know where it is or have any reason to go there other than to go home.  That means is it quite. Some may think it is too far from Duval Street. Nay, I say. I think a normal person could walk to Duval in 8 to 10 minutes or be at the historic seaport in 7 minutes or so. There are normal people in Key West - sometimes it may not look like it, but there really are some.

I searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to determine the approximate age of 1120 Curry Lane. It first appeared on the 1899 map. The Frank Harris Livery stable and sheds were located across the lane. The earlier Sanborn maps and the 1899 map showed several large open spaces between Curry Lane and Barracks Lane which was later renamed Stump Lane. This entire area was located just west of the ARMY Barracks and Parade Grounds which dates back to before the Civil War. In more recent times that area was federal government housing.  The black and white photo above shows the house as it appeared in 1965. The aerial photo below was taken in the 1920s. I added a notation to show the location of 1120 Curry Lane. By the time this photo was taken, the horses had been replaced by cars. The livery was razed and four cigar maker cottages were built at the location at Fleming and White Street. Those cigar cottages were replaced by the mid-century Sunbeam Grocery store.

The home and guest cottage offer 1922 sq ft of living space under air which includes two bedrooms on the second floor and a separate guest cottage at the rear which includes a small kitchen, bath, living and sleeping loft.

The main house and guest cottage are oriented toward providing direct access to the outdoor spaces as well as being recipients of the abundant daytime light which comes thru the glass paneled French doors. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more photos of 1120 Curry Lane. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.   I took the little logo photo below of a nearby Curry Lane cottage a couple of years ago. This lane has several absolutely adorable little homes on it.