411 Grinnell Street, Key West - a Classic Old Town Revival Home Reinvented

Just Listed - 411 Grinnell Street in Key West which appears from the street to be a Classic Conch Revival home but which transforms into a sophisticated 21st century contemporary throughout much of the interior. The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West describes this property this way:

"Meticulously restored with the highest level of craftsmanship and materials, this home will please the most discerning buyer. Located in historic old town on a double 8,375 lot, this home features every modern amenity. There are two bedrooms en suite plus a study and bonus finished 3rd floor. The dream kitchen has a Zebra wood island and Wolf, Miele, Thermador and Sub Zero appliances including built-in wine storage. Sun drenches the lap pool, cocktail pool and spa all of which are finished with iridescent blue glass tile and adorned with fire pits on either side of a glass waterfall. Off street parking for 2+ cars behind electric gates. Plans to build an adjoining home on the property are included. This is a rare treasure."

 I searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned that 204 Grinnell Street existed as early as 1889. That property was renumbered as 411 Grinnell Street on 1892 Sanborn map. I found photos of 411 and 415 Grinnell Street which were taken in 1965 (see below).

I mentioned 411 Grinnell Street in my July 12, 2012 blog (Son of More Projects of Key West) when I posted these photos just after the property was purchased and plans to renovate were announced.

The original house at 411 Grinnell Street was thoroughly renovated from bottom to top and front to back. A new Great Room and kitchen were added at the rear. Today the property is a two bedroom two or three bath home. When you enter the home you see meticulously restored Dade County Pine walls, ceiling, and floors trimmed with crisp white wood trim, high base boards,and crown molding. But as you look closer you'll notice the old stairs were replaced with a striking glass panel and simple hand rail.  You quickly learn this is not another old house redone.

As I walked past the stairway the Great Room emerged in all its simplicity and grandeur. The rooms are painted white and provide a canvas upon which the owner creates the picture of how he or she lives in this space. Sliding impact doors open out to the covered lanai which provides a shaded sitting area on the otherwise sunny deck and pool surrounds. The pools (plural) are unlike any you've probably seen elsewhere in Key West. There is an extra long lap  pool, a cocktail pool, a spa, and  waterfall situated between twin fire pits.

Another adjacent had told me about the pool at this property several times. I sold the house next doo to the north and the house across the street. I had never been able to see the pool area from the street. So while you can see the other houses from the pool, passersby cannot see inside this area. A new owner could plant some trees for more privacy, but it is not necessary.

The guest room with en-suite bath is located on the first floor front. There is a nice little study located across from the master suite on the second floor. They didn't miss a trick in creating a sumptuous master bath. Posh would be an understatement to describe this pad. I would love to see how the former residents of this home would react to the new place. I am sure they would be amazed.

24 Hour Fitness on Caroline Street

411 Grinnell Street sits on an extra large 83.64' X 100.5' lot much of which is hidden from view from the street. There are currently three off street gated parking spaces. There are plans to construct a new 2500 square foot primary residence on the south side of the lot which convey with purchase. The current home would them become guest quaters. These plans were created by local architect Matthew Stratton. He is among the best in Key West and South Florida. If and until the new house is built, the owner of 411 Grinnell Street will enjoy the great location near the best bakery in town (the Old Town Bakery). Azur Restaurant is located upon on the corner at Fleming Street. The Eaton Street Seafood Market is a couple of blocks away where the best lobster roll in Key West is available daily. The soon to open 24 Hour Fitness is  a couple of blocks away on Caroline Street. There are numerous restaurants at the Historic Key West Seaport also located nearby.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view more photos of this beautiful home. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a personal visit to this incredible home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

More Projects of Key West

618 Grinnell Street - one of the new projects of Key West

Last July I wrote about some of the current remodeling projects that were under construction in Key West. Seven months later those same projects are still being worked on. And there are new homes being constructed as well. I don't know why it takes so long to cut and nail some boards together down here. Whatever the reason, I thought you might like to see some photos of the progress (or slowness) of the Projects of Key West.

730 Southard Street is probably the most prominent project because of its location and the grandeur of the original home. I wrote about 730 Southard Street on at least eight different occasions. It is one of the most notable houses in Key West. It sold in December 2010. Work started last year when fencing went up and laborers started cleaning decades of paint from the old house. More recently scaffolding went up, and now crews of workers are busy at work. The old garage on William Street came down, and a new structure is being built. Also, the owner purchased the adjacent cottage at 608 William Street which I heard will become the guest house for the main house. The William Street house has a huge back yard which will permit the creation of a larger pool and gardens for the main house. I can't wait to see what happens here.

A lot of people wanted to buy this place before it was even listed for sale

Old photo that shows both 608 William Street and 730 Southard Street

February 2012

While offered for sale - viewed from William Street

Remodeling is a scary undertaking, especially in Key West

Temporary fence was added to keep lookie-loos at bay

Scaffolding has gone up and workers are busy everywhere

Old garage was torn down

February 2012

The eyebrow house at 618 Grinnell Street will be raising other eyebrows this year as it undergoes its transformation. This demur house sits on one of the prettiest blocks in Old Town with several equally beautiful old homes.

618 Grinnell Street in June 2011 after a lot of aged foliage was removed

The house has been elevated to construct new piers to support the restoration of this old beauty

730 Fleming Street (below) is turning into a real beauty. The photo below shows the house half a century ago followed by a listing photo followed by and a couple of pics from last week taken on a gray day. The interior has the historic integrity intact, but the rooms have been updated to meet requirements of our modern lifestyle. The adjacent cottage on William Street has been give a new lease of life-what a dramatic change that building received. Yet you can't see any of the substantive improvements the new owners did from the street. They added a pool and landscaping which created a wonderful outdoor living area that is just awesome.

730 Fleming Street in 1965

730 Fleming Street in 2009

Ditto

730 Fleming Street in February 2012

Hidden from public view - what an awesome home!

A new project has begun across the street at 801-807 Fleming Street. The new owner of that two house parcel has begun an ambitious remodel of both properties. Matthew Stratton, architect, has designed the renovation. Matthew is one of my favorite Key West architects. Let's watch the progress on this property in future blogs on the projects of Key West.


1130 Fleming Street was a bank foreclosure that sold in 2010. Many competing offers were made on this house. The inside had been messed around with by amateurs. The entire rear addition was falling into the ground, and the main house had major stress issues. I showed it to several potential buyers. One made an offer but not high enough to get the property. This house has one of the better locations in Old Town. Compare the way it looked in 2009 to the way in looks now that the remodeling nears completion.

An old For Sale by Owner sign taken before the Bank foreclosed

Rear addition was demolished a and new addition has been added

Another landmark property at 426 Elizabeth Street sold in March 2010. It looks like it has been gutted of much of the faux Victorian interiors and exterior distractions that were added by a former owner. The before photos show a house that was out of character with other Key West homes. Exterior walls have since removed and rebuilt. The old "new" kitchen is gone. It did not work aesthetically.

Elizabeth Street before current renovation

Work in progress in 2011

Looks like it is nearing completion -February 2012

Cleaned-up south side looks sharp

Rear yard in 2010

Work in Progress in December 2011 - view from west looking east

February 2012

Kitchen addition as it looked in 2010 - very dysfunctional

Total renovation of the kitchen permitted addition of a large pool

I wrote a couple of blogs about 911 Watson Street. It was a "diamond in the rough" that required a buyer with a big imagination, a good architect, a competent builder, and money in the bank. The existing house and some other buildings sat on a 10,000 sq ft lot. The property is located on a quiet little street that dead ends at the South side of Key West cemetery. The former owner is a Realtor. He told me the neigborhing house on Olivia Street used to be a whorehouse. The neighbor up on Truman Avenue is a club called Bare Assets. There is an absolutely wonderful home across the way that is one of the prettiest compounds in all of Key West and also one of the most expensive homes on the island. The location was an immediate "turn-off" to some potential buyers while others saw the little Key West cottage on the huge lot as having huge potential.

Former owner of 911 Watson Street said the house next door used to be a whorehouse

Not everybody wants a house that sits on a prominent street. Some are content to have a home hidden almost hidden from view. After all, you can walk or bike to almost any place you need to go in Old Town within a matter of a few minutes.

The house was hidden behind a huge fence and decades worth of trees and shrubs

Early photo at beginning of the project

February 2012

A former garage is gone and the side and rear yards are now open awaiting development. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one. I really want this place to be something extra special. Note Matthew Stratton is the architect on 911 Watson Street too.


I wrote about 405 Olivia Street on a couple of occasions. It was a bank owned property located across the street from the Ernest Hemingway House. The place had lots of problems that started on the failing ground floor that had been covered with Mexican tile to the idiotic floor plan which had three bedrooms on the top floor and the bathroom on the ground floor. The lot is huge and that provided room for a pool. As usual, I had one buyer who made a lowball offer thinking he could steal this house from the bank. My guy did not get the property. The new owner hired one of the best builders in Key West who is ripping the old house apart and rebuilding it in place. Stay tuned to see what happens here.

405 Olivia Street when it was bank owned in 2011

February 2012 another work in progress

In early 2010 I wrote about the demolition of the old Univesal Cleaners at 514 Elizabeth Street. Two years later a new two story home is slowly becoming a reality. I'm not belly aching over the time because I know the contractor is doing a first class job in building this house. The same contractor built another new house in the Casa Marina area that was completed in February 2011 for customers who bought lot from me. They reported total satisfaction with the contractor's work ethic and performance. They job came in on time and on budget. The owner of
514 Elizabeth Street engaged the same architect, Tom Pope, to design the new home.



There is some new construction and new renovations going on in the Casa Marina area as well. One of the most admired homes in Key West is getting a bit of a face lift. I thought I would post a couple of 'before' photos so that we can track the progress on 924 Flagler Avenue. Stay tuned and planned on being impressed.

924 Flagler Avenue February 2012

You can't see much of anything today. Interiors have been gutted to some extent.

Piers have been poured at a new project across the street from 924 Flagler Avenue. Matthew Stratton is the architect on this big project.

The George Reynolds House, below, is located next door to the west

George Reynolds House circa 1910

Much of the Casa Marina area was developed after World War II. A post modern church sat on the lot where the new construction is being built. It was an "A Frame" that was damaged during Hurricane Wilma. Good riddance. It was ugly and did not fit into the area. I wonder how well the new house will blend with the historic home to the right (the George Reynolds House) and 924 Flagler Avenue across the street. We shall see.


In December 2010 I wrote about a large development parcel at the corner of Reynolds Street and Waddell Avenue which is located just north of the Casa Marina Resort. Tom Pope designed the new house that has risen from the ground up.

December 2011 from Reynolds Street

Fall of 2011

Substantial progress being made in February 2012

I am in awe of architects and designers who can create unique new living spaces out of the old houses in Key West. I respect the men (and women) who are the contractors and laborers who do the actual work that turns piles of lumber into new homes that will last into the next century. Almost anybody can dig a hole and plant a tree or a bush. But only a few really creative people can design outdoor spaces that can make your heart leap. I really enjoy watching the laborious process of a dream home become a reality. In the long run creating the new projects of Key West is more than just sawing lumber and pounding nails. It is a combination of creativity, hard work, a lot of money, and the dream of someone who visited the island of Key West enough times to decide this is where I want to live.

If you are thinking of buying a place in Key West CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls for your dream home. If you find something that interests you, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Let me help you find your Key West Project!