Just Listed - 1307 Petronia Street, Key West

Longtime readers of my blog may recall that I have written about this Meadows Area beauty a couple of times during the ten years (soon to be eleven years) I have been doing this blog. It was thirty-three years ago that I first came to Key West and that is when I discovered this little island in middle of the ocean with so many old time houses that were stuck in time. Unlike north up in America, the houses here looked pretty much the same in 1984 as they probably did when they were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. As more and more people discovered the beauty of what is now my island home, the old houses have been bought by new people who have updated them.  The home above is located at 1307 Petronia Street. It is one of the prettier houses about which I have written. 

I checked the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to try to determine when this home was built. The earliest date it appeared was 1912. A smattering of homes appeared in earlier additions of the maps, but this entire block and two blocks were basically barren. Readers may recall that this area was called The Meadows for good reason - this is where the dairy cows lived back in the days before Key West had refrigerated milk. Dairymen would drive carts through town to deliver milk. The modernization of Key West the conversion for dairy land to residential housing. The black and white photo above shows this house as it appeared in 1965. The color photo immediately above was taken in 2013. The photo at the top of today's post is current.

The listing Realtor describes the home this way:

Located in the highly sought after Meadows, sits this 3-bedroom, 3 bath that has been recently modernized. A traditional entry foyer leads to the first floor living room with 5 large double hung windows and an elegant crafted wall of bookcases. There is den/bedroom with French doors that open to the pool area. The dining area is adjacent to the chef’s kitchen with massive granite counter top, and gas stove, wine cooler and stainless steel appliances. French doors lead to an outside eating area and nice size pool surrounded by decking and lush tropical landscaping. Upstairs there are 2 en suite bedrooms with walk a large master walk-in closet. The master has a very large sunning deck with a spiral staircase to the pool.

I'm pretty certain the original house didn't look or function quite as perfect when it was built as it does today. The formal entry offers guests a more formal entrance into the living area and at the same time allows the owners direct access to the kitchen at the rear or the stairway in between. The living room photos show off the Dade County Pine ceiling. The living room includes a new media center and built in bookcase. Modern touches include new wood floors, crown molding, and new HVAC. Two photos immediately above show readers the location of the first floor bedroom which is being used by the current owner as a den. There is an adjacent full bath on the first floor. French doors open out to the pool from both the kitchen and the den/bedroom.

Both second floor bedrooms are en-suite. The master bedroom shown above has French doors which open out to the sundeck. A spiral staircase leads down to the pool for a late night dip.

1307 Petronia Street even has a bricked parking space for your car. A lot of homes in Old Town and the environs don't. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this pretty special home offered at $1,400,000. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1404 Newton Street, Key West - A Meadows Charmer!

The listing Realtor describes 1404 Newton Street located in the Meadows Area of Key West pictured above this way:

 "This exceptional 2BD 2BA classic conch house with private pool and off street parking is located in the very popular Meadows neighborhood. The home has been well maintained and updated by the current owner with the addition of a new roof (including truss/rafter straps), recently resurfaced pool, new hot water heater, new AC system, security system, and newer stainless kitchen appliances. You enter the home from the relaxing covered front porch to an open floor plan with views through the living room and kitchen to the rear deck and pool. The bedrooms are en-suit and at opposite ends of the home. A wonderful find in a special location!"

"

 I dug into my old shoebox and found a fifty-two year old black and white photo of the same house. I think it looks so much better now.  In fact this little block is a nice little enclave of mostly updated homes but located away from the noise and commotion for houses located in some parts of Old Town. I took a photo of the house across the street. It is one of many quaint houses on this block.  And it is still located within a walking distance to Duval and the seaport.

According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this house was built in 1943 just near the end of World War II. I found an aerial photo taken in 1920 (below) that shows the general area including what I think is 1404 Newton Street which I marked with an arrow. Longtime Readers may recall that the Army Barracks and parade grounds are located about 100 feet due north of this property.  It could be that the old house shown in the aerial photo was razed and a new house was built in 1943. But I doubt it.

Many of the houses in this area were built after 1900. This home is what I would call bungalow style.  It was updated and then updated again. Today the house is laid out with a main entry hall on the right side which leads to the living area and the kitchen at the rear.

The current owner uses the guest bedroom located at the front of the house as the primary bedroom and uses the master bedroom and bath (located at the rear) as a home gym or yoga studio. Both bedrooms have baths and the separation provides privacy whether from family members or guests.  The master bedroom is very large especially when compared to so many houses in Old Town. The photo just above shows the laundry room which includes both washer and dryer plus cabinets for storage. Two delicate French doors open out to the east side yard which has abundant storage space and a grill.

The master suite opens out to the sunny deck and pool and spa located at the rear. One of the things I constantly tell buyers is to not assume anything about a property in Key West. This is a relatively big house on a good sized yard. It may not look like that from the street, but when you see it in real life, you will be amazed at how large and spacious this house is. 

 I borrowed the listing agents photos with her permission. I should have taken my own photos of the pool area as the view from the southwest corner shows an expansive sky with swaying palms. This is a real delight. So many houses in Old Town are set so close together that owners only get scant sunlight and have diminished privacy. This is the opposite of that. Potential buyers will need to see the house for themselves to verify the veracity of what I write. It is true.  You'll see.

CLICK HERE  to view the Key West MLS datasheet and additional photos OF 1404 Newton St Key West offered at $879,000.  Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this charming home Meadows Area home complete with pool, spa, off street parking, a newer roof with clips and approved metal shutters for all windows and doors. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

823 White Street, Key West

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West 823 White Street, Key West.  This house is the oldest house on White Street and likely the oldest house in the Meadows Area as it dates back to circa 1850. It is known as The Cold's Milk Farm.

Paul Cold moved this 1850's farm house to this location just after the civil war.  It is the oldest surviving house on White Street. Originally the Cold family occupied the front of this five bay house. The workers quarters and kitchen were located in a separate detached building to the rear. Both buildings were combined into one larger building in the 1890's. The 1884 Birds Eye View map of Key West clearly shows 883 White Street as the only residential structure in the area. There was a large waterfront building on what is now Eisenhower Drive. The balance of the area was occupied by the military. The farm included the dairy herd and an orchard of sapodilla trees from which the sap was extracted to make chicle, a gum based product that became the main ingredient in chewing gum (hence Chicklets Gum). During this same time period there were five or six other small dairy farms in Key West. There was not cold storage for milk back then like we have today. I  found a post card which shows how milk was delivered by the Key West dairies. Don't laugh: it worked.

The listing broker describes modern day 823 White Street this way:

"An historic treasure built circa 1860 and restored to it's original glory, the owner retained the charm and added all the modern conveniences one expects. This spacious 4 bedroom, 4 & 1/2 bath home won the coveted Florida Keys Preservation Society Ceramic Star Award for Restoration. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is evident throughout the home. A long list of improvements is available. Perfect for entertaining, the living room, dining room, den, and kitchen all open into each other and onto decks on both sides of the home. On one side is a pool and covered porch. On the other side, doors open to a covered dining porch which overlooks a garden. The top of the line kitchen fits perfectly with the home and will serve the needs of any gourmet. With four bedrooms and four and a half baths there is plenty of room for extended family and friends. Off street parking, a wine cellar, extra ROGO units and a great old town location complete the package. A full and very interesting history of the property is available as well as the details of the restoration. This historically significant home is truly an old town treasure."

The second photo from the top shows a ceramic star located adjacent to the front door. This ceramic star was given to the owners of this home by the Historic Florida Keys Foundation for excellence in preservation of this home.

When you view this home from the front you see a substantial home with five bays (openings in a wall for windows or doors) with first and second floor covered porches. The symmetry and economy of design is noteworthy before you enter the front door. The proportions are graceful and utilitarian. The house looks to me like a big salt box rested on its side with openings for doors and windows neatly interspersed. When you enter the house the design turns just a bit. What I imagine may have been the original parlor is located to the left of the front door just under a broad arch. In that room you will see the first of three fireplaces in this home.

The family room is located to the right of the front door. This room, like the parlor, has four windows which bathe the space is muted light. Trees and tropical foliage provide the privacy from the outside world. The above photo doesn't quite work as well as I had planned to demonstrate the attention to detail in the restoration and /or replacement of windows. Windows that could be saved were. And where replacement windows were needed, the factory fresh glass pains were replaced with historic glass which shows the passage of time as the glass molecules rearrange themselves as gravity drags them down like wrinkles on an aging face. The windows are remarkable! You will note the re-appearance of a broad arch in this space. The arch provides passage into the dining room which is located in the space added by the owner in the 1890s who bridged the two buildings into one. The kitchen and a guest bath are seen to the rear.

The kitchen is a hoot! It reaches back in time with the farmer's sink, retro (coal) duel fuel range, dishwasher, and refrigerator.  Clerestory windows were added over the work areas in the kitchen. French doors open out to the covered south deck. The covered deck is a quiet and unpretentious space to dine al fresco among the tropical foliage.

The entry hallway bisects the house. As we move toward the rear we see an open area with a broad door which exits out to the pool area. The there is wood hatch in the floor which leads down to the basement storage area. Yes, basement - one of a few located in Key West. The door at the rear opens into a bedroom and bath which were once part of the original rear workers' quarters. 

The pool and side deck help maintain the historic concept of this old home. Note the rock coping around the lagoon style pool. It almost looks like the pool was a natural occurring feature of this lot and that rocks were placed around the perimeter to provide a bit of balance to the site. It looks as if water springs from the water feature to form this pool in paradise. There is a second floor deck which we will see later.

There are two bedrooms located on the second floor front of the house. The north bedroom is typical of each room in many aspects in that all the walls, ceiling, and floor feature Dade County Pine that has been stripped, sanded, and preserved with  a low luster seal. This room also has a painted ceiling inset probably added by an itinerant artist. There are several grand old houses in Key West with similar artistic ceiling insets.

 This 2748 square foot home has four bedrooms and four and one-half baths. The master bath, above, was designed to include a built-in steam room. The plumbing is all in place and the fixtures were purchased but never installed. This looks like fun space to me.

There is a very private covered rear second floor porch which overlooks the pool below. The front porch provides a ring-side-seat for great people watching as the world passes by each day. There is a gym across the street half a block to the south and there are two small convenience stores to the north. You  can walk to Duval Street in about ten minutes or to nearby Bayview Park in about four minutes. When you leave the front door and head out on your adventure for the day you'll be looking at one of many utterly charming homes that make Key West a place unlike any other. And when you return home at night, you'll know you live in a place that is unique in all the world.

823 White Street is offered at $1,600,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. Then please call 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 your home in Paradise.