916 Von Phister Street, Key West - Casa Marina Contemporary

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916 Von Phister Street is located in the tony Casa Marina Area of Key West. This bedroom community is a stone's throw from the nearby Atlantic Ocean. The Casa Marina Resort is a short two block walk to the west. Two great ocean front restaurants (Salute on the Beach and Louie's Backyard) are located within a five minute walk.  The madness of Old Town is within easy biking distance for those times you want to break bread with tourists or attend a play at the Waterfront Playhouse or the Red Barn Theater. Otherwise, you'll enjoy the serenity of this little enclave.

The area is not without its ties to old Key West. Tennessee Williams' sister owned the house across the street at 915 Von Phister; Thomas McGuane lived half a block away also on Von Phister Street; for a brief time Ernest Hemingway lived two blocks away at the corner of South and Whalton Streets; Phil Caputo lived on Casa Marina Court; and today Judy Blume lives very near. Houses in the Casa Marina are typically located on larger lots than Old Town. Many of the homes have a semi-rural flare because most of the streets do not have sidewalks. Instead the public rights of way are often planted with grass or pea rock  with all sorts of palm trees and other tropical plantings. And unlike much of Old Town where many of the homes have become vacation rental money machines, most of the houses in the Casa Marina are primary residences or second homes. And one last thing: the Atlantic Ocean and beaches are just a couple of blocks away. You can be wiggling your toes in the water in minutes.

 The listing Realtor describes 916 Von Phister Street this way:

"One of a kind, newly renovated, single family home. Oozing with the wow factor of midcentury and modern living all on one level. Stacking doors allow ample marriage of the outside and inside surrounded by two large patios and a glass tiled pool. Superior bright rooms flood the interiors with warm sunlight. Notable features are the telescope sky lights, oversized tiled porcelain floors,custom cabinetry, Bosch 800 series appliances, including double wall ovens, microwave drawer, dual beverage center and large Thermador refrigerator. Three en suite bedrooms with premium appointed bathrooms, den or fourth bedroom, private patios and ample closet space. All surrounded by a privacy wall with covered and uncovered parking enough for 3 cars."

Readers of my blog may recall I followed the renovation of this home for many months. I found a genuine throwback photo of this house taken from the Von Phister Street side in 1965. Other photos are recent. They show the transformation of the plain 1960s ranch into the sophisticated home it is today. The interior was totally gutted. External building changes included a new roof, installation of new impact windows and doors, and the construction of a new six foot privacy wall that envelops large corner lot. Landscape architect Craig Reynolds designed the pool and gardens.

The interiors are new throughout. Once you pass the threshold you behold a huge new space that is both subtle but demanding in the same instance. How can that be, you ask.  The color pallet used in the flooring and walls is very soft and unobtrusive so when you enter the house your eyes are automatically drawn first to the far end of the house which opens out to the pool. As you pass into the house you can't help noticing the contrasting colors of the pool, tropical gardens, and sky which depth and dimension to the interior spaces. The gardens are newly planted. As they grow the depth of color from the trees and tropical foliage will become even more vibrant.

The public living spaces are bright and open into each other. The sleek porcelain floors and monochromatic color scheme tie the rooms together. Design elements such as light fixtures, tiles, mirrors, and so on catch the eye of the beholder.  

A guest bath is located off the hallway leading to the bedrooms. This home has two master bedrooms each en-suite. Each with private outdoor garden space.

The west master bedroom suite is a bit larger. Dual doors at the far end of the room open into the bath which is a darker than the other master bath which seems almost opulent compared to the almost understated simplicity employed in this bathroom. When you look closer you quickly appreciate the richness of the minimalism which includes dual sinks with tilting mirrors and a huge glass enclosed shower. A set of dual doors open into one of two walk-in closets in this second master suite.

A third guest bedroom provides generous sleeping accommodations and equally dramatic en-suite bath. Like the two master suites, the guest bedroom has access to a small private garden on the other side of the impact doors. A large privacy wall insulates the house and garden from the street. Light flows in to the rooms but privacy prevails.

As I took photos of the baths I had to touch the tiles. They so totally different from the run of the mill tiles you see see repeated in house after house in Key West. The tiles in the master bath almost have an art deco feel to me. They aren't, but they give off that aura.  And it is the aura of being different that separates this house from so many others. CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this property.

Doors from the kitchen and living room open wide and seem to disappear into the walls. The outdoors and indoors become one as living and entertaining spaces merge. In the winter when your friends up north in New Jersey or Michigan are freezing their behinds around dinner time, you and your Key West friends will be having cocktails and canapes under the stars either by your pool or you can walk over to Louie's Backyard or any number of other places. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 916 Von Pisterl Street which is offered at $2,195,000. Besides the refined public spaces there are two master suites, one large guest bedroom, a fourth potential bedroom which could alternatively be used as a den/study, office, media room, or home gym. There are three full baths and one half bath, two off street parking places (one covered), pool and lanai,  and laundry. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this freshly renovated home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I live in the Casa Marina Area and love it. Let me show you this house and this wonderful neighborhood. 

1417 12th Street, Key West - Bank Owned Home with an 80s Flair

We all looked marvelous in the 1980s, didn't we? A lot happened in the last thirty-five years. Hairstyles changed, fashion changed, home styles both exterior and interior changed. What was hot back then may not be quite as chic today. If you looked like one of the girls or guys above in 1980 when those photos were taken, you would probably be around 60 years old now. You probably have gray hair (if you still have hair) and you might have a bit of a paunch or even a spare tire.  Parts of your anatomy might sag a bit - or a lot. But it would still be "you" on the inside. You are worth keeping. You are probably secure in who you are and in what you have done. And you are likely looking forward to another twenty years or more of a fulfilling life.

The Bank Owned home located at 1417 12th Street in the midtown area of Key West is 35 years old this year. It's showing its age just a bit. Just like the ladies' hairstyles above, the exterior and interior of this house is dated. The exterior structure is the opposite of Key West cottage that many people hope to buy. This home is typical of a lot of contemporary architecture of that era with an adaptation for Key West. The building is a town home configuration of several attached units, each with a different facade, elevation, and roof line to break the monotony of sameness. Bahama shutters were added to the front and rear. Each home has a small front yard and off street parking space. Here, the yard is a combination of pea rock,  ornamental grass, and a couple of palm trees. When you approach the entry you see that the front doors are dated. I stepped back and looked at the neighboring homes. Many owners have replaced the original windows with impact units. This home would benefit with retro-fitting the windows and doors with modern impact replacements. This would not only add light into the home but also provide for significant wind insurance savings for years to come. And like the gals and guys above, this home has a lot of life left in it so to speak.

The windows and doors and the ceilings and floors have pretty much run their life expectancy and usefulness. A prior owner tried to renovate the home a few years back. I think he (or she) failed. The house comes across as being a bit dark, a bit dated, and in need of face lift. I am going to share some photos I took of the house to give you an idea of what it looks like today. Look at the pics with an open mind. I see real potential in this property. Remember it is just a big old box. All houses are boxes. Please also understand, this house does not have to be renovated or even painted. There is one section of flooring that needs to be replaced. My suggestions relate how I think this home could be improved and made much more valuable. There is a real difference in making improvements and making repairs.

The front door opens into a hallway that leads to the two story living room at the rear. The first of three bedrooms in this house is located up front. There is an adjacent bath next door which also serves as a guest bath. The railroad style kitchen is next where there is an opening out to the living area. The blue drama wall accentuates the small opening from the kitchen. It makes kitchen seem like a cave. Even though the kitchen cabinets have been replaced this space cries out in my opinion to be remodeled. I think the space would function much better if the upper walls at the front of the kitchen were removed. I would relocate the refrigerator to the rear and remove the wall opposite the stair. 

 I found a photo of another unit in the same complex where both the kitchen and the second floor bedroom were opened up to create more vibrant living and sleeping spaces. See below. It is the same space but looks totally different. The confines are gone. 

Each of the bedrooms and bathrooms have differing floor surfaces of tile or wood laminate. One simple floor surface would tie this home together. If I owned this house I redo the master bath. The door is a bit narrow and the bidet is a European affectation. At a minimum I would ditch the bidet and add a vanity with dual sinks. 

The primary reason I wanted to write about this house is the pool at the rear. It's a Charlie Brown Pool - it's a bit on the small side, but it has potential!  The prior owner installed a surrounding deck with a man-made material similar to Trex decking. The deck is non-slip and resistant to insects and water damage.

While I was taking photos of this home I noticed the clean and contemporary lines of a neighboring house two doors away. The exterior was painted a cool Caribbean color that contrasted with the brown of this home. The original windows were replaced with impact glass. In fact most of the homes now have impact glass. I could not help to imagine how much cleaner and contemporary this home would look if the brown Bahama shutter and old brown French doors were given the removed. I would also eliminate the wood railing and stair rail. The deck area needs a bit of re-styling but it could look so good. The neighboring homes already look so much better. This home could look equally as nice. CLICK HERE to view all the photos I took of this home.

1417 12th Street  is a bank owned property with 1500 sq ft of living space that includes three bedrooms, three baths, off street parking, and a pool. The asking price is $365,100. You can't buy a studio apartment in Old Town for that. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing. Bring your imagination and a calculator. Figure out how you might tweak this place. There's a bargain to be had here. Ditch the old hair and create your own new flair.

Honey . . . STOP the Car ! - 1430 Albury Street, Key West

HONEY . . . STOP THE CAR!  You've probably heard that saying or something like it sometime in your life. It's a directive that there is something important that you are about to pass by. It's a plea to stop and take a look else you may miss something important. If you do stop you can then decide if the look was worth the time. If you don't you may never know what you missed.

1430 Albury Street in Key West is a Buildable  Lot 3500 sq ft (50' X 70') with HARC Approved Plans to build a New Two Story 1900 Sq Ft 4 BR/3 1/2 BA home with Classic Key West Conch Style Architecture updated with Modern Building Elements including Hardiboard Siding, Wind Impact Resistant Glass Windows and Doors. Other features include Four Decks, Heated Pool, and Off Street Parking in the Quiet Meadows Area of Key West. FEMA Flood Elevation Compliant for future Insurance Savings. The New House will be located just one block north of Bayview Park and within a short walk or bike ride to all the attractions in Old Town.(Price does not include construction of new house.)  

Readers up north in America may not appreciate the significance of having a building lot upon which an owner could immediately commence the construction of a new home in Key West or even the significance of owning an empty lot. Key West is a little island located at the far end of the Florida Keys. It is the end of the line so to speak.  You cannot go any further west or south without a boat. Havana, Cuba is closer to Key West than Miami, Florida.

Most of the island of Key West is developed, meaning there is very little undeveloped ground on this little land mass. And of the few undeveloped parcels that do remain, most are not capable of being developed due to environmental concerns or other restrictions on growth or development. Most of the new housing is actually new properties being built on lots where another house previously existed.  Such is the case for 1430 Albury Street. The current owner went through the process to obtain permission to take down the previously existing home which sat on this lot. The owner then engaged local architect Carlos Rojas to design a nearly 1900 sq ft home with 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, a main floor "lock-out" unit, pool, and off street parking. The new house would be built to Florida's strict building code and would be constructed using new energy efficient materials including Hardiboard siding, impact windows and doors, while offering a home that evokes the Key West Conch architectural spirit.

 This lot is located in the Meadows Area of Key West. The lot is located one block north of Bayviw Park, the largest city park in Key West. The park is a lovely place to walk the dog or watch the kids play.  The park is the site of many social events throughout the year including the annual Easter egg hunt, children's Halloween event (post Fantasy Fest), seafood festival, Conch festival, and many more. There are public tennis courts, basketball court, and baseball field. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property that is offered for sale at $750,000.  I understand a new owner would spend between $500,000 to $600,000 to build the home shown in the approved plans. There are a couple of spec homes in the current Key West mls which are offered at a much higher price (combined lot and building).

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com for more information on this listing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  

How Gay Was My Villa?

Key West is a great place to live. You can be and do just about anything and everything. Except for some do-gooders who sit on some public commissions, we all try to stay out of each others "business".  The rich and not so rich often live side-by-side. One's station in life does not matter. Gay and straight live together. Generational Conchs and newbies from around the world live and work together. People of different faiths, different races, and political persuasions all get along. We are an accepting community. The openness and welcoming nature of Key West as a community was one of the main reasons I decided to move here. I could be me.

I am a Realtor. I am gay. Most of my customers are straight and accepting. I sell houses to people who hope to move here to become a part of the Key West community. One of the really great things about my job as a Realtors is that I get to see inside so many Key West homes. Some places amaze me either for their architectural design, decor, or outdoor living area. Or all three. I have found that a great many of my favorite properties were gay owned. To be perfectly honest, some of the oddest places I have shown were also gay owned or occupied. I would like to share some remembrances of the latter.

Decorating with David and Other Dudes!

I have learned that a great number of gays have statutes of David in their homes or gardens. I consider the David statute as being code for a "gay man lives here". Some owners have additional pieces of  homo erotic art peppered around their homes. I have been in homes owned by women where the female figure is prominently or sometimes selectively displayed.

 

 Not all of the homoerotic art I have seen relates back to the Greeks and Romans. I have seen lots of modern "art" photos, pop culture photos, posters, paintings, and more recently photos of porn stars.

I have several memorable properties that I would like to share with my Readers. The first house was a two story place located in the Meadows area. I showed that house several times a few years back. It had the obligatory Statue of David near the pool. There were  little statuettes, oil paintings, charcoal prints, and etchings of nude and semi-nude males throughout the house and garden. You could not move your eye from one area of a room to another without seeing a nude male image. The listing Realtor for that property worked in my office. He told me that after months of not being able to sell the house, he finally persuaded the owner to store some of the art off site. The emphasis was "some" because there was still plenty of male nudes in the house after boxes of other pieces were taken away. The house eventually sold and that owner put it up for sale. That's when I noticed what horrible condition the place was in.The naughty nudes had distracted my attention from the condition of the property itself. I never noticed the condition because I was so distracted by all the naked bodies.

I showed another house located in the Arts District (east of White Street) on several occasions. The owners had moved away and leased the space to a really nice gay man who had several roommates. The place had gay art, Fantasy Fest paraphernalia, boas, wigs, and hoopla everywhere. The master bathroom had photos of nude male porn stars everywhere. I remember that the light switch in the master bath room was a miniature penis. The tenant used to work for an international celebrity. The listing Realtor allowed the tenant to show the house - well, it wasn't so much that he allowed it to happen, the tenant always greeted potential buyers at the front door and started the tour. We got to hear his story, his famous former employer's story, and we got to peer into this den of men! It took forever to sell this place.

Back in 2006 when Key West was at the height of the real estate boom one gay man asked me to look at his Shipyard condo to discuss listing it. When I entered the place the first thing I saw was a nude oil painting of him laying in the sand. The painting was placed near the French doors that opened to the rear deck. I might have got the listing had I not told him to take down the portrait.

A local gay man visited with me in my office a few years back and said he wanted to sell his house. Local architect Tom Pope had designed the recently built house which was located at the dead end of a Key West lane. The house was new construction and not a renovation. Given those few facts I was sure that I could sell this place quickly. I decided to go the property to see the place so that I could suggest the listing price. The owner showed me around from room to room. While we were standing opposite each other in the master bath I looked down into one of the dual sinks when I spotted it. The DILDO! It was laying in the sink. All of a sudden I was not able to utter a word. I could not get words out of my mouth let alone put words together to make a sentence. I pivoted and made my way to the living room where I said good bye to the owner. I knew I could never look that man in the eye again.

And then there was the gay owned home with an incredible master suite that included a stunning sitting room and bedroom chamber outfitted with three single beds.

Mannequins pop up every now and then. I'm not sure why people buy them let alone why they play a part of home decoration. They don't surprise me anymore. Slings are another matter. A few years ago I showed a house where a gay couple was splitting up. They owned a very nice home in a very good Old Town location. Everything about the house two story home looked picture perfect, that is until I walked into the guest bedroom which was painted black. There was a sling. That was not a typo. Many homes in Key West have cute little swings. This room had a sling!

If you are thinking of buying or selling a place in Key West and are looking for a Realtor, call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or contact my by e-mail at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Living life in Key West is just great. I could care less how you decorate your villa as long as you are happy. However, it might be a little easier to sell your home if you take down photos of your favorite gay porn stars and stow away the dildos.