Un-Real Real Estate in Key West

I have written  about Ronny Bailey before. He is a former Key West builder who turned in his "trade" to become a folk artist extraordinaire.  In stead of building big houses, he now creates paintings and small art installations that depict real Key West cottages, homes, and commercial businesses.

Some of Ronny's current works will be on display at the Key West Craft Show this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) on Whitehead Street between the hours of 10:00 to 5:00.  If you are in Key West you really need to stop by and take a look at his work. He puts so much love into each piece. You can tell that by looking at the pieces he has created. His art preserves a part of Key West that cannot be re-done with marble or stainless steel nor Hardiboard siding. Every piece that Ronny makes is fashioned out of wood - even the "metal roofs" and red fire engine are made of wood.

I had the  opportunity to photograph two of his pieces on Friday morning. As I was taking photos people that were walking by stopped to take a look (or photograph)  and marvel at what this man has created.  Those of us who love Key West's great architecture hold Ronny to be a treasure in his own right. The two pieces shown are the Historic Key West Fire Station #3 located at the corners of Virginia and Grinnell Streets and the Old Town Bakery (the former Salgado Brother's Grocery) at 930 Eaton Street. Take a peek and then go take a look at the real thing at the craft show. Tell Ronny you read about this on my blog. He gets a kick out that. And so do I.

By the way the actual Old Town Bakery has the best home made pastries in town. I am on a perpetual living diet so I can't eat the great goodies they make there. (Well, I did cheat a couple of times.)  Stop by some morning and buy a couple of pastries and coffee. It's a treat. CLICK HERE to view 930 Eaton Street .  Click the link - I'm proud of these pics.

 
The second floor sleeping quarters photos did not come out the way I had hoped. That floor has similar detail as the main level and facade. The names of old Key West fire fighters like Chief Bum Farto, Bethel, Gates and others line the wall. Theses are the surnames of current Key West residents. After you have lived in Key West a while you begin to sincerely appreciate the heritage Conchs and freshwater Conchs (like me) have for the families who have lived on our little island for decades. CLICK HERE to view the FIRE STATION. Click the link - I'm proud of these pics.

Viewing old buildings through the perspective of Ronny Bailey's eyes gives the viewer a real sense of appreciation for the un-real real estate the artist sees. On each piece he creates you will see three simple words:  Joy, Love, and Peace. And I guarantee you will see lots of whimsy as well!  Instead of buying a lot of tee shirts or hot sauce, buy a painting, a lithograph, or even an art installation like Old Town Bakery or Fire Station #3.  And then call me to buy a house.

904 Frances Street - Old Town - Key West

 904 Frances Street - Old Town - Key West - June 2012

I recently got  a chance to view the charming bungalow located at 904 Frances Street in the Old Town area of Key West. I had not been inside this recently remodeled house. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I had missed. This not so little four bedroom home is worthy of further consideration.  The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Delightful renovation of a cigar makers cottage on one of the best streets in the heart of Old Town Key West. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms in the main house and a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom pool cabana make for a wonderful retreat or permanent residence. Gorgeous designer kitchen and baths, Dade county pine walls and floors, high ceilings, and a pool with waterfall are just a few of the features that make this home so special. Offered furnished."904 Frances Street as it appeared in 1965 - plants for sale and all!

The current owner purchased the property from the original owner. I dug into the old shoebox and found a taken back in 1965 (above). The Monroe County Property Appraiser records show that this house was built circa 1933, but we know those records were createded by workers from the WPA during the Great Depression. The old courthouse burned to the ground, and the WPA workers helped create new "records" and used 1933 as the construction date for many homes where other records were not available. We also know that not much of anything was actually built in Key West in 1933, or the rest of the country for that fact. The straight clean lines and the generous verandah at the front of the house suggest more of an arts and crafts style of home built just after the turn of the Twentieth Century.

 Front Bedroom

Master Bedroom with Pool View

 Posh! Master Bath

The inside of the house is fairly utilitarian. I mean that in a most polite way. The front door opens  into the living room on the right. Minimal dividers sit on either side wall which serve to separate the living room from the dining area. The kitchen is located at the rear. The home has three bedrooms. The front bedroom has a view of the front verandah. It shares the Jack and Jill bathroom with the second or middle bedroom. The Jack and Jill bath has all of the finer amenities including travertine marble in the custom shower. The oversized master bedroom is located at the back. French doors open out from that bedroom onto the rear deck. Inside, the master bath is like one you would find in an upscale English hotel.

 Renovated but non-public side of 900 Frances (located next door) to north

The back deck is huge and will provide lots of space for sun worshipers who won't need to move a lounge chair to catch a golden Key West tan. The pool, isn't large compared to the rest of the property.  To my surprise there is a guest cottage at the very rear complete with a fourth bedroom and a full bath. The bath has a door that also opens from the pool and ought to prevent lots of wet feet running through the main house. CLICK HERE to view a photo album of pics I took of 904 Frances Street and it's neighbors to the north and south.

Before some locals chime in and start to pooh-pooh the location, let me share a couple of my thoughts. 904 Frances Street is located next door to an historic and nearly iconic piece of Key West - the former home of the Busy Bee Bakery. I wrote about that location a couple of years ago as it was the subject of a Ronny Bailey art construction.

904 Frances Street as depicted by Ronny Bailey

 900 Frances Street - June 2012

CLICK HERE to read and see what I wrote then. Most of what I wrote was about Ronny Bailey, but if you love Key West as much as most of us who live here, you might just appreciate the proximity of location to such a great old landmark. Bare Assets is located at the far end of Frances Street at Truman Avenue. The place is always well maintained and clean. I guess it's the nearly naked ladies on the inside that gives the goody-two shoes part of the population concern. Those naked ladies don't bother me, and I don't bother them. St. Mary's Basilica is a couple of blocks further west where tourists and locals can confess their sins after going to Bare Assets. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet and to see listing photos. This 1243 sq ft home sits on a deceptively large lot (36' x 93' or 3348 sq ft). There is even double off street parking. The home has beautiful Dade County Pine walls, ceiling, and floors, crown molding and nice crisp trim everywhere. The windows are new and everything appears to look and work just fine. The home has been successfully rented as a vacation rental. 904 Frances Street is offered at $895,000. If you would like to see this home please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

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I Sell Real Houses in Key West

Prices are rising, sellers are getting greedy again, and the dream of buying a place in Key West may start to fade for those who waited too long.

Instead of buying a big house (or small cottage) you might consider purchasing the next best thing: a reproduction of a real Key West home. Consider the 718 Eaton Street's look-a-like home shown above. It is the creation of local artist Ronny Bailey who I have blogged about before.


Ronny grew up in Key West and was a carpenter for 30 years. His re-creation of Old Town Key West homes in miniature sizes is now his passion. He beams with pride as he talks about his work. This is a man in love with his life and his work. And his work is a testament to his love of the place that he has called home. He loves the Key West of yore and recreates houses the way they looked before the gentrification and HARC-ifornication.

Ronny brought his latest masterpiece to my office a couple of days ago. He smiled a big smile as I photographed this glorious piece of art. The house real house is located at 718 Eaton Street. It is located next door to the former house known as the Calvin Klein House. The home next door to the east was featured in the Cuba Gooding, Jr. movie A Murder of Crows that was filmed in Key West in 1998. Rent it you want to see Key West on film. The film was pretty lame if you ask me.

I scrounged around the old shoe box and found a 1965 photo of 718 Eaton Street and then went over yesterday and took a pic from a similar angle. Compare the house of yore with the home of today. Ronny did a pretty good job if you ask me.

718 Eaton Street was built in 1850

718 Eaton Street as it appears in 2012

718 Eaton Street (the real house) is not for sale!

Ronny's reproductions always include miniaturized household items and sometimes depictions of animals. Each wood carving will include the words love, joy, and peace.


CLICK HERE to visit Ronny's FACEBOOK page.

If you are looking for a life size house, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. I sell real houses. They sometimes cost a lot of money. But you can really live in them. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls. If you see a place you like, please call me. Thanks.