The Commercial Projects of Key West - Spring 2022

 

Sometimes we drive by a commercial building so often that we fail to notice subtle and not-so-subtle changes. Sometimes buildings are razed and replaced with new buildings and we cannot remember what was there before. Today's blog is part of a continuing series of blogs to create an internet memory of the commercial construction projects of Key West over the past few years. I write "years" because few things move quickly in this town when it comes to construction. There are exceptions - usually an owner or developer brings in a crew from elsewhere. He ; houses and feeds the workers and gets a project built much quicker. Key West builders prefer the other method - draw the project out as long as possible. It takes time to create perfect. Lets see what has happened since the previous blog:

901 Fleming Street. This is an historic three story commercial building located in the heart of Old Town. It had a combination of office space, commercial space, and one apartment.  Some pre- renovation photos follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 It appears the building has been hollowed out and the footings below rebuilt stabilizing the building.

 

CLICK HERE to view more photos of this ongoing project.  

 

1100 Kennedy Drive - The Key West Aqueduct Authority Office Building 

Its a funny thing about government buildings in Key West - they all started to fall apart and become unsafe for government workers during the past several years. Our fire houses, city hall, electricity provider all became unsafe within a few years. The FKAA was relocated to another site, the building raze, the ground prepared for new construction, and the rebuilding started. I took a series of construction photos. And I need to say that construction on this building defies my snarky comment on most other construction. This building went up quickly. The building is very attractive. It even has a nice north facing outdoor deck for some official business to take place.

 

October 2020 just after former building razed. Ground work began.

December 2020

 

February 2021

 

May 2021

 

January 2022

CLICK HERE for more photos

532 Duval Street 

This truly is an historic property located at one of two of the busiest streets in Old Town - corner of Southard and Duval Streets. The black and white photos show the building at its best - decades ago before Key West was a real town. I started taking photos when scaffolding went up. The adjacent property on Southard Street began renovation at the same time. Same owner. Same contractor.  532 Duval was recently completed. Very disappointed in that. Southard still is not done. 

 

July 2020

 

Southard Street July 2020 - Same owner. Same Contractor

October 2020  Building is being stabilized New Columns added

October 2020

 

March 2022

 

March 2022

CLICK HERE to view no progress photos

2308 North Roosevelt Boulevard

Conch Republic Liquors  2012

  

October 2019

I started taking photos of this property as soon as I noticed yellow plastic tape encircling the building. This building a perfect example of not remembering what used to be at a place you drive by every day. I think I may have gone inside the liquor store one time. I found the photo in our MLS  as well as the aerial photo which show the location opposite the Key West Yacht Club. North Roosevelt Boulevard has changed by leaps and bounds compared to when I first visited Key West in the mid 1980s. The road itself was rebuilt a few years ago. This is the main thoroughfare into the historic district. Today there is a beautiful esplanade with tall palm trees and wide sidewalks where people walk, jog, skate, cycle nest to the Gulf of Mexico. It is quite impressive. Several hotels were rebuilt at the same time.

Not too long after I moved to Key West in the early 1990s Boston Market opened a restaurant at 2514 North Roosevelt. It failed and later became a branch of Centennial Bank. A few years ago the old Banner Tire store was razed and was replaced with a Sonic Drive-in. The place is rarely busy. I don't think it will survive. The old Burger King was also razed and replaced with a Popeye's. Same. Rarely busy. It may become a bank or something else. 

I am not sure what will become of 2208 North Roosevelt. It is going up very quickly. I have taken a few photos which you may view below. 

Three years ago the ground on which the Sonic Drive-in was elevated about three feet above original grade lever. I believe that was and still is current building code. The Capitana Hotel across the street was totally rebuilt at the same time. The entire parcel was elevated as well I have been puzzled why other new construction and some "renovations"were not required to elevate the base. I am not inferring anything fishy is going on. Or am I?

 

The Projects of Key West - Commercial Year End 2020

 

Most people see the same place day after day and fail to appreciate changes to it over the years. Little things or big additions may go unnoticed. What once was often gets forgotten. With the advent of Photoshop even "historic" photos found in one's shoebox can get doctored to the point of the absurd. FAKE VIEWS.  I took all but a few of the historic photos that will appear in today's blog.

Do you recognize the above property? This photo was taken in 1991 while the Overseas Market shopping center was under construction in 1991.  Notice the upside down small airplane and Key West Fire Department equipment. The entire shopping center facade was renovated in the 2010 era. Today the tower section is DENNY'S. Before that it was TGI Fridays. I can't remember what that space was before that. See what I mean?

The incomplete concrete section shown in the plane crash photo eventually became the space where Pier 1 Imports was located. Pier 1 Imports filed bankruptcy in February 2020 and liquidated all of its stores including the one in Key West. That space is still vacant. A few other stores closed this year but two released quickly.

The COVID 19 pandemic did not precipitate the demise of SEARS, but I think it hastened the end. SEARS closed its doors at SEARSTOWN, 3220 N Roosevelt  Blvd this summer. Do you have any idea how difficult it now is to buy tires for a foreign car and and get them installed? I know, Buy American. Next time for sure. The SEARS closure will provide more room for Santa landings if he ever returns to Key West. I wonder what they will call the center now. Several other stores in this center shut down this year. PUBLIX took over the adjacent space and added a liquor store. Liquor became a highly in demand item in 2020.  

 2401 N Roosevelt Blvd. 

I started to photograph 2401 North Roosevelt in December 2018 just as the former Banana Bay Resort and Fairfield Inn were being razed. This site is located just east of the Key West Yacht Club. I found the photo below of Banana Bay which was originally called the Hilton Haven Inn.

The contractor tore all of the original buildings and cleared the huge parcel. I had no idea how large a parcel was nor any real awareness that the Gulf of Mexico was on the back side of the property. We could see water for a few weeks after the old buildings were removed. Truck after truck brought in new rip rap to raise the elevation to meet new FEMA regulations. Construction on the new buildings then started and progressed at what I thought was a good pace even after Key West and Monroe County went on lockdown. Construction seemed to slow down this summer. Perhaps the interiors were being completed. Existing trees were relocated throughout the parcel soon after the parcel was cleared. New trees and more vegetation were recently introduced to the property. The parking lot was paved and the building painted. The hotel is scheduled to open by the end of December. That's today. Not going to happen. 

The building on the right will be a new boutique hotel called THE CAPITANA KEY WEST. The building on the left is going to be employee housing. This was a part of the Development Agreement with the City of Key West.

 

 The construction worker sitting by the pool taking a smoke break explains why it takes so long to complete construction in Key West. 

I think both buildings are very attractive. I am envious of the employees who will have views overlooking the canal. There is a boat dock at the edge of the property. The architecture of both projects is impressive. However both buildings look like they belong in it belong in Fort Lauderdale.

CLICK HERE to view the photos of 2401 N Roosevelt Blvd project.  I will keep adding new photos as the project comes to an end.

1100 Kennedy Drive

 

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority office building at 1100 Kennedy Drive was razed this summer. The ground was cleared, new utilities installed underground, and foundation laid. Construction on the new headquarters has started. The project will include the new main building, an elevated sky-way, and parking building. Employees and customers have parked across the un-bridged street for years. When you have millions of dollars to spend, spend them. 

CLICK HERE to view more photos of 1100 Kennedy Drive

3140 Northside Drive Office Condos

The Offices Condos at Northside Drive were built in the late 1980s to the early 1990s with six buildings total. Renovation was underway in 2017 when Hurricane Irma created delays because of labor unavailability. During the past two years progress was made. New additions include impact windows, doors, new roofs, and Hardboard siding. The property looks much better now than ever before.

532 Duval Street

I began photographing this project in July 2020. It is still in the same basic disarray now as it was then. 

The owner of 532 Duval Street began the renovation of the adjacent building on Southard Street at the same time. Not much has happened there since I took the above photo in October 2020. 

1116 Truman Avenue

I pass the corner White and Truman least two times a day. It took me a couple of days to start taking pictures of the renovation once I noticed that something was going on. A few days later I stopped at the adjacent Citgo gas station and looked in the back. There was a brand new two story building being built in the rear. The previously enclosed front porch at 1116 Truman was removed exposing the historic facade. It did not appear any meaningful renovation of the apartments have occurred. It is December 31, 2020. Nothing has changed to the facade in months. I cannot locate the photos of the rear. I will follow up on this during the next year or two. Nothing happens quickly in Key West.