The "Cobbled Together" One-Time Key West Compound of Nancy Friday

I recently received an email from a friend who used to live near Nancy Friday's house in Key West. The email included a link to a Wall Street Journal piece entitled Author Nancy Friday's "Central Park West Compound Asks $22.5 Million". CLICK HERE to read the piece. The first line reads: "Over two decades, author Nancy Friday cobbled together an unusual compound of three adjacent apartments atop a New York City apartment building that overlooks Central Park".

I read the article and responded to my friend telling him that is exactly what Nancy Friday did in Key West three decades ago when she bought one, then two. and finally three houses located next to each other between Southard Street and Pinder Lane. She purchased 6 Pinder Lane pictured above from from Duane Dick and his partner Richard Thixton.** She also purchased 815 Southard and 821 Southard Street.

After Nancy Friday left Key West all three properties were purchased by a single party.   A few years later I was selected to list 6 Pinder Lane. The new property owner retained and renovated 815 Southard Street, below.

 821 Southard Street, which Nancy Friday used as her guest house, was purchased by my buyer who  renovated the interior and enhanced the garden. He found a couple of Nancy's personal items left in the attic.  Both houses sit pretty on one of the best streets in Key West, but Nancy Friday's secret garden and house is still hidden away from public view. 

Nancy Friday renovated the 6 Pinder Lane house with the architectural assistance of local architect Tom Pope. This was Nancy's Key West home. The original cottage was expanded at the rear.  A second floor was added to create the master bedroom and tree-top bath. Multiple sets of French doors were added on the main level which opened out to the magnificent deck. I showed this house many times over the years, both when Nancy still owned the property, and later. I would sit in the living room with French doors opened and let the buyers walk about taking in the simplicity and charm of this place. The French doors were always been open matter who was living there at the time. The shade of the trees and porch cooled the house and warmed the spirit.

This was no ordinary "quintessential" Key West home. Nor was the lot an ordinary lot. No, not by a long shot. Pinder Lane is one of those slow lanes in Key West of which I am so fond of. The lane is perhaps 200 feet long where it abruptly ends. It runs perpendicular to William Street midway between Southard Street to the south and Fleming Street to the north. 6 Pinder Lane is tucked in a corner behind the house at the very end of the lane. When Nancy owned the property a bricked path meandered thru some palm trees to a tall gate where what looked like an ancient cow bell once hung. You needed to pull the clanger to announce your presence at the gate. Guests needed to lift the wrought iron lever, push the gate forward, and walk into Nancy's the secret garden known as 6 Pinder Lane. It was magical!

The master bedroom was like a Hollywood movie set. Nancy created the perfect little love nest up in the sky. The wood walls and floor were painted white. Three sets of windows looked out to the towering trees and gardens below. The space was ever so comfy! You just wanted to curl up and read a book, take a nap, or have a little afternoon romance. When I wrote about this house when I listed it, I begged that "whoever buys this house please don't mess with this! The bathroom is one-of-a-kind. The white porcelain bath fixtures standout against the dark green tiles. When you stand in the shower you can see smidgens of the tin roof on a neighboring house, but mostly you see the tree tops and patches of blue sky." 

The new owners of Nancy Friday's house followed their dreams rather than mine and did a stylish update to the house and  garden. The tall gate and cowbell are gone. I have seen photos of the house which pay respect to what once was. It is still very special.

In the last three decades of the twentieth century Nancy Friday and her friends purchased simple houses in Key West to which they made modest improvements and created a community that inspired a generation of dreamers who want to move to Key West. While Nancy Friday's Key West cobbled together compound has been separated, but three new owners get to live out their dreams in one of Nancy's homes..

**  I wrote about 4 Pinder Lane a couple of times over the years. Mary Thixton told me stories about the celebrities who frequented her uncle's home including Cary Grant, Anne Jackson,Tallulah Bankhead, Burt Reynolds and local members of the Key West literary community including James Leo Herlihy (author of Midnight Cowboy) and, of course, Nancy Friday.

6 Pinder Lane, Key West - A Magical Secret Garden

Located in the Heart of Old Town but tucked away and hidden from view is this enchanting home and secret garden that once belonged to author Nancy Friday. The home seems to rise from the garden with a wrap-around-porch and broad deck that circles the nearby pool and spa. This very private home has three bedrooms and two baths including the treetop master bedroom with private bath. 

This is no ordinary "quintessential" Key West home. And the lot on which it is built is not just an ordinary lot. No, not by a long shot. Pinder Lane is a dead-end lane located mid-distance between Fleming Street to the north and Southard Street to the south just east off William Street in the very Heart of Old Town. The lot itself is tucked in a corner at the very end of the lane. A path leads away from the lane to a tall gate with what looks like an ancient cow bell. You need to pull the clanger to announce your presence at the gate. Lift the wrought iron lever, push the gate forward, and be prepared for a surprise. You are entering a magical setting known as 6 Pinder Lane. 

 A brick path encircles the house as it meanders through the garden. The garden is now so dense it almost seems like you are walking through the forest primeval. The sky opens over the pool which is located on the south side of the property. French doors open out to the deck from both the living room and a ground floor bedroom. 

The wood deck continues around the back side of the house until it meets the brick path on the north side which then returns to the front porch which wraps the covered front entry. A rather large building parcel is located adjacent to the back deck. I found a photo of what I believe was an old cottage that once occupied that space. I think the space would make an excellent location on which to build a guest cottage - that is if a new owner would want to share this precious space with others. 

This is the house I believe once stood on the now empty building lot

6 Pinder Lane before the wrap-around decks and second floor addition were added

 I was told that local architect Tom Pope designed the renovation to this home many years ago. The original cottage was expanded at the rear and a second floor was added where the master bedroom and tree-top bath is located. Multiple sets of French doors were added on the main level that open out to the magnificent deck. I have shown this house many times over the years. The French doors have always been open. It's as if each owner just lives inside and outside continually. It is, however, the wrap-around covered deck that is magnificent. There is not another house in Key West that has anything similar. 

Main floor north bedroom

Main floor south bedroom

The master bedroom is like a Hollywood movie set. It is as if someone created the perfect version of a little love nest up in the sky. The wood walls and floor are painted white. Three sets of windows look out to the towering trees and gardens below. The space is ever so comfy! You just want to curl up and read a book, take a nap, or have a little afternoon romance. Whoever buys this house please don't mess with this! The bathroom is one-of-a-kind. The white porcelain bath fixtures standout against the dark green tiles. When you stand in the shower you can see smidgens of the tin roof on a neighboring house, but mostly you see the tree tops and patches of blue sky. CLICK HERE to view more photos of the property.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls database on 6 Pinder Lane which is offered at $1,549,000. There are three bedrooms, two baths, a living room that spans the front of the house, and a wrap-around deck without equal in this little island town. The lot is huge for Old Town - 7564 sq ft. There is room upon which a new owner might build a guest cottage. And now the property includes a dedicated bricked parking space located on Pinder Lane. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing on which I am the listing agent.