206 Harbour Place Condominium - Elegant Key West Waterfront Property

During the Spring of 1987 I attended a party held at the World Famous La Te Da hosted by proprietor Lawrence Formica who introduced Pritam Singh to Key West society and announced plans for the Truman Annex. I wish so much that I had a camera that night or that I could find a photo online.  In today's world of Twitter and Instagram,  there would be several such photos. But 27 years ago people did not record every day events like they do today. In fact that day was not an everyday event. It was a transformative day in Key West history because the Truman Annex became the most popular vacation destination in Key West.  Pritam Singh redeveloped prime ocean front real estate that had been NAVY property for decades. He removed old structures, built seven new communities of condominiums, town homes, and sold single family lots for development by individual homeowners. He added streets, trees and tropical foliage that has grown and matured into a beautiful city-scape. Today Truman Annex is a gated community located behind the historic Presidential gates on Whitehead Street and the Key West waterfront. The Shipyard Condominiums are the least expensive of the properties. Many owners in each of the communities have obtained special transient rental licenses from the City of Key West which allows owners to rent their homes on a weekly basis. The ability to rent one's unit has given would-be Key West second homeowners a realistic and affordable alternative to the purchase of a single family house in Key West. The Harbour Place Condominiums are the most luxurious of the Truman Annex communities. 206 Harbour Place is the largest condominium on the Key West waterfront.

Unit 206 is located on the second floor of the original Naval Administration Building.  I found a couple of photos of President Harry S. Truman standing at the front of the Administration Building in 1969. This was President Truman's last visit to Key West. Today that area looks out to the boardwalk  and Sunset Key beyond. The Administration Building was renovated and became the Harbour Place Condominiums. Balconies and decks were added. Office interiors were transformed into living spaces. Over the years some individual owners have done their own interior renovations. In recent years the windows and doors were replaced with wind impact resistant glass. The building itself was built NAVY STRONG. It may be the safest structure in Key West. It undoubtedly has one of the very best views on the Island of Key West.

The listing Realtor describes unit 206 as "unparalleled elegance and understated luxury".  Two units were combined to create a one-of-a-kind 3073 square foot luxury residence. When you enter the residence your eyes are drawn through the beautifully decorated foyer past the living and dining areas and out to ocean.  The "great room" measures 44 ft in length and has four sets of windows/doors with Plantation Shutters. One set of French doors opens out to the front deck and another set at the south end opens to another deck that overlooks the huge pool. The kitchen has dual counter top cooking surfaces, dual ovens, and dual dishwashers. This place was designed for entertaining and everyday sophisticated living.

The foyer leads into the great room but it also provides access to the master suite at the south end of the unit and provides a genteel entry to the guest bedroom wing by passing through the den. The two guest bedrooms each have baths. The guest rooms have access to a separate balcony that looks out to the community pool, the "outer mole", and Ft Zach Taylor in the distance. There will never be a day when you won't have something new to see.

 

The master suite shown above is probably larger than most condos or town homes in the Truman Annex and anywhere else on the island for that matter. The suite includes the extra spacious bedroom chamber and adjacent office and sitting area. Just to the west is a lady's make-up room with access to the huge walk-in closet. Both the make up area and bedroom enter into the opulent master bath that includes shower and tub, dual vanities, and lots of mirrors.

Unit 206 Harbour Place Condominium is a 3 bedrooms plus a den, and 4.5 baths waterfront residence that includes 3 covered parking spots and a special Truman Annex Transient Rental License which allows the property to be rented up to 25 weeks each year.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property that is offered for sale at $2,699,000.  You can view more photos if you CLICK HERE. My photos include many more water views and that is part of why you would buy this home.

After you have look at the photos and property description, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this very special waterfront property. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise. I'd love to be with you on the day you move in and post a selfie on Instagram looking out to the magnificent Key West sunset.

415 Margaret Street - Key West

415 Margaret St in 1979

Wikipedia defines the grammatical term 'present perfect' as a  combination of the present tense and the perfect aspect used to express a past event with present consequences.  The Old Island Restoration Foundation awarded a Ceramic Star for the renovation and preservation of 415 Margaret Street in Old Town Key West. This is an excellent example of present perfect in my opinion.

Roger Emmons at Truman and Company, the listing Realtor, describes his present perfect listing at 415 Margaret Street:

"This is one of those very special homes where all of the elements come together to create an incredible setting for the perfect Key West lifestyle. The home is a beautiful combination of historic restoration and superior renovation with a wonderful floor plan that includes three ensuite bedrooms including the master suite which is located in a private wing overlooking the landscaped gardens and 40 foot pool. At the rear of the property is a spacious guest cottage complete with living room, kitchen, bedroom and secluded hot tub. Thoughtful details include large shady porches, Chicago brick patios and pathways that meander through the tropically landscaped gardens. Very private with off-street parking."

 Bricked Off Street Parking

 Gracious Front Porch that Wraps Around the House

 25 Foot Entry Hall that leads to the Family Room and Pool Beyond

I searched the Sanborn Fire Maps and found 206 Margaret Street on the 1889 map. In 1912 the street designation was changed from 206 Margaret to 415 Margaret Street.  A second cottage appeared for the first time on the 1912 map at the rear of the 201 foot lot.. This structure was identified as 415 1/2 Margaret Street.

The home was thoroughly renovated and expanded in 2000. A generous addition was built at the rear of the original house which included an expansive new master suite.  A separate guest cottage with a mini-kitchen, living room with vaulted ceiling, bedroom and bath was built at the far rear of the lot. (The total lot size is quite large for Old Town - 56' frontage by 201' depth or 10,679 sq ft.) The present structures include multiple porches, loggias, two outdoor showers,a 40' heated swimming pool, and other amenities folks in the late 1800s would not have imagined. The result is gracious home which blends formal rooms from the past and new spaces designed for the indoor-outdoor Key West lifestyle.

 Formal Living Room with French Doors onto Wraparound Porch

Formal Dining Room

Rear Addition includes Family Room and Kitchen

 The stairway shown above leads to two bedrooms with en suite baths.  Both play off the simple original design of the historic house.

 One of the two guest bedrooms with en-suite baths

The master suite is located in the new addition adjacent to the original house. You enter the suite just off a private alcove. The bedroom has a tall vaulted ceiling that give the room a very spacious feel but yet provides intimacy.  French doors open out to a private porch that overlooks the pool and gardens.  The extra large en-suite bath includes his-and-hers sinks, shower, bathtub, and plus an outdoor shower.

 Master Suite with Private Porch overlooking the Pool and Gardens

Entry Alcove

Imagine Waking Up to this View!

 An Outdoor Shower is a Key West Essential! This One is Present Perfection!

The Guest Cottage is shown below

With a Guest Cottage this sweet, your friends and family may never leave. And when they sit on their front porch in the morning sipping coffee, they get to look onto the pool and the main house and dream what it might be like to live here all the time.  CLICK HERE to view a slideshow of more photos I took of this incredible Key West property.

View from Guest Cottage Porch

415 Margaret Street is indeed present perfect. The main house and guest cottage offer a total of 3459 sq ft in living area that includes four bedrooms, four and one-half baths, two kitchens, and gracious interior and outside living spaces both formal and Key West casual. This home is offered at $2,495,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property.

If you would like to see this perfect Key West home please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a showing.  This is the type of Key West home many people dream of owning - someday. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.