Just listed, but not by me, 415 Bahama Street in the Old Town area of Key West.
I found what I believe to be 415 Bahama Street on the 1889 Sanborn Fire
Map of Key West. The houses were not numbered the same in 1889 as they
are today. But the location of the house is in scale with the other
properties that are (or were) located on that block. If you love "old
houses", you're gonna really love this one.
In his book The Streets of Key West J. Willis Burke tells us that in the past Bahama Street was previously known as Chicken Bone Alley
and that long time ago a Chinese hand laundry and small cigar factory
were also located in this block. I dug into the old shoe box and found a
photo that dates back to around 1900 which shows 415 and 417 Bahama
Street. Today a small parking lot separates 415 and 417 Bahama Street.
The black and white photo above shows 415 Bahama Street as it appeared
in 1965. You can see that the second floor front porch was semi-enclosed
after the 1900 photo was taken. The "new" louvers provided more living
space on what was the second floor porch or balcony. Several larger
Old Town homes had second floor porches enclosed with louvers during
World War II. This allowed homeowners to rent theses spaces out as
bedroom to the military whose population here swelled during the war.
I went back to the shoe box to find a photo of a vintage photo of a
similarly designed Bahama house that is located at 730 Eaton Street
(corner of Eaton and William Street). Bahama style houses are noted for
the expansive porches and multiple French doors that permit air to
enter the house from all directions which provides natural cooling from
the heat and shelter from the rain. The second image (immediately
above) is of the same house as it was immortalized in post card fashion.
The listing Realtor describes 415 Bahama Street as: "A diamond in the Rough. A historical building in the heart of Old Town with 4
Transients Units. A great income producing property. Lots of Dade County Pine,
Huge and private Courtyard with room for a pool and more parking spaces if
desired. The units rent nightly. Half block from Duval, a couple blocks from the
Seaport, just steps from the shops, restaurants and excitement of Duval Street
without the noise. Established property manager. Unit 1 is a bright, sunny, 3
bedrooms, 2 bath. Unit 2 is second floor 2 Bedrooms, 2 bath with a den and huge
balcony. Unit 3 is first floor 2 bedrooms, 1 bath with one of the bedrooms being
huge. Unit 4 is 2 bedrooms, 2 Bath and 2 living/ Flex rooms. Very unique set up
to maximize income."
According to the Key West mls datasheet CLICK HERE
to view, 415 Bahama Street has 3672 sq ft of living space under roof
capable of being air conditioned. The lot is 5983 sq ft (an irregular
57.67' x 83.83'). The front of the house sits very close to the
property line. I would guesstimate the rear yard to be 57.67' x 24"
which may provide room for a sizable pool and deck area. There are
three large trees which a new owner would need to address as part of any
redevelopment of this parcel. The space is quite large and offers
significant development potential rarely available in Old Town.
The
house is divided with two units on the ground floor. The front unit
consists of a living area with kitchen, dining area, and three bedrooms.
This unit is the only one that has use of the front porch.
Main level front living room and kitchen
Main level front left bedroom
First floor private outdoor area
If
I purchased this property I would remodel this space into something
more gracious than presently exists. In my opinion the rear unit would
be the "money room" with direct views of the pool. I would add French
doors across the rear and relocate the stairway to the second floor rear
unit. During earlier days, the two bedrooms on the right side were a
"separate unit" with access to the rear porch. The old door still
exists, but the space today is rented as a single unit.
Second floor front unit rear bedroom
Second floor front bedroom
Second floor front porch partitioned into sleeping areas
Imagine the louvers removed and the front balcony restored
The second floor is similarly divided between front
and rear units. The front unit (shown above) is accessed via side
exterior staircase that enters into the living area. This space includes
two bedrooms, bath, and the second floor front porch which as been
enclosed and partitioned into three small sleeping areas. If I purchased
this property, I would remove the louvers and open the space back up.
This would add street appeal to the house and provide interior light to
the second floor which is currently missing. The bonus effect would be
to provide guests with private outdoor space and some great people
watching opportunities. If you compare the house as it presently exists
with the photos of the classic home at 730 Eaton Street, you may
appreciate my vision as to how significant the removal of the louvers
would impact this home. Instead of cramming heads in beds, a new owner
could create an elegant private oasis near Duval Street.
The
second floor rear is absolutely beautiful. The entire space is a mix of
Dade County Pine and bead board which provides a very warm Old Key West
charm that is sorely missing in so many of the new "renovations". This
portion of the house reminds me of how houses looked like when I first
started looking at houses in the 1980s - a time before granite and
stainless steel overtook the island.
Most
of the original clapboard siding has been covered over with asbestos
shingles which are perfectly fine if left alone. They cause no harm to
any person in their present state. However, being the person I am, I
would remove the shingles and restore the wood siding for a more correct
historic look to the property. I would extend the balcony along the
south side of the house so that the entrance to the rear unit could be
relocated to enter into the living area instead of a hallway that
presently takes up a lot of valuable interior living space. Finally, I
would add a pool at the rear.
Estimate 57' x 24' rear yard for redevelopment
Off street parking for at least three full size cars
CLICK HERE to view all of the photos I took of this very large Old Town property. (Click any photo to enlarge.) 415 Bahama Street has four valuable Transient Rental Licenses which
permits daily rental of each living space throughout the year and
without any limitation. This property is offered for sale at $1,850,000.
I offered my opinion as to what I might do to improve the property and to perhaps boost the income potential. I must state that nothing needs to be done.
The property functions fine the way it is. I really mean it when I say I
love the old Key West feel this property provides. I just think it
could be such a better property if a few improvements were added.
If you would like to see this property in person or if you would like more information, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.
Ronny
Bailey is a six generation Conch that spent 30 years of his life as a carpenter who repaired and restored
many of the old houses in Key West. A few years ago he started
tinkering around with some salvaged Dade County Pine and created his first new old
house replica. His wife came home from work and exclaimed "I didn't
know you could do that!" Ronny replied "Neither did I." And so began his
new career as artist-carpenter who uses salvaged lumber to create miniature near replicas
of real houses and buildings in Key West. Ronny stresses that
he only uses old salvaged wood to construct the houses. He doesn't paint
the pieces. Instead he relies on the ravages of our sun and the weather
to create the natural patina that make each piece look so genuine.
Ronny's
most recent piece is a miniature version of the Ernest Hemingway
House which is located at 907 Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida. I
found a photo of the real house so that you can compare the real with
Ronny Bailey's folk art. Ronny's version comes complete with a
hand carved figure of the old man himself standing on the front porch
with fishing pole in hand. Cats abound everywhere - on the roof, on the
porches, in the garden, and even lounging in the flower box. If you look
inside the
first floor center door you will see a cat laying on the stairway.
Inside each door or window you will find some vignette that sets each
space off with a bit of Ronny's passion for whimsy and detail. Inside
one window Ronny painted a mirror hanging on the wall. The mirror
reflects the blue sky and palm tree one would reflected from across
Whitehead Street. On the wall behind another door there is a painting of
Ernest and a trophy fish he caught.
Unlike
the majority of Ronny's pieces which are fashioned of Dade County Pine,
the Hemingway House is stucco. The first floor French doors and second
floor windows have paladin windows that given this home a look unlike
others in Key West. The ground floor has saltillo tiles whereas the
second floor deck has wood planks. The wrought iron pillars surround the
house to support the second floor deck. If you look close you will see
the two story porch attaches to the metal roof system so familiar in
Key West. You must look very carefully CLICK HERE to see minute details like paint drippings and clamps that attach the metal roof to the porch system. And
just so that you appreciate the magnitude of this undertaking,
everything you see was carved or created by Ronny Bailey. Nothing you
see came out of a "kit". You cannot go to any store to buy the iron
railing, or historically correct wood shutters, or any minute artifact
that makes up the totality of this piece of art.
The
Ernest Hemingway House and other pieces of Ronny Bailey's art are now
on display at the Fleming Street Gallery at 830 Fleming Street, Key
West. Ronny's larger pieces are quite expensive. He has created small
version that may be purchased at lower prices. See two examples below.
CLICK HERE to view more pics of the Ronny's Hemingway House. Click on any photo to enlarge.
I
am continually amazed at the attention to detail and the love Ronny
imparts to each piece of work he creates. The original pieces are quite
expensive. The smaller high quality art photos are reasonably priced and
will appeal to Hemingway and Bailey fans alike. Get them before they
are gone.
Just listed by Preferred Properties Key West (that's where I work, but this is not my listing) 1008 Packer Street #5. Read on home buyer wannabes. This place has everything most second home buyers want, and it is priced less than a single family home in the heart of the Old Town area north of Truman. And it would make a great vacation rental just in case that thought has crossed your mind.
When I looked at the house I could not tell that if the home was newer construction or a renovation because almost everything except so interior finishes was new. I thought to myself 'this is good'. I love old school but I know that new construction or a quality renovation makes means long term maintenance and annual upkeep less expensive. I learned that the hose was in fact a superior renovation of an older home that sat at the rear located on Truman Avenue with a giant rear yard. Then I remembered this home became part of a redevelopment of the entire parcel. In order to circumvent Key West strict new building codes, the new project was redeveloped as land based condominiums which allowed the developer to build houses on much smaller lots than land use laws would require. Since this home already existed, it became a part of the condo development but as as far as I could determine, it has nothing to do with the other units other than be a perfunctory member of the very limited condo association.
I looked on the historic Sanborn Fire Maps and note that 1008 Packer was shown on the 1899 map. That means it was built prior to that date. I then looked into the old shoebox and found a grainy 1965 photo that shows the house as it existed then. As I said when I entered the house in 2013 I thought it was newer construction. It's not. It is really good renovation of a solid older home. What you see in the black and white photo bears nothing to what exists on the inside today and the exterior has new porches and decks that totally change the look of the old.
Today new wood siding, wood posts and railings give the old house and much different look. The front of the house is located near the street. A new white picket fence and lots of trees and tropical foliage protect the house from the street. In fact you have to look really hard to even see there is a house behind the foliage. The lean to carport is now gone. That space became incorporated into units next door to the north. Today, an off street parking spot is located on the south side. And there is still a front gated entrance off Packer Street, but it is located a few feet further south. What you see in the old has nothing to do with the new. And as Martha Stewart would say "That is a good thing."
See what I mean? The old house has been transformed into the epitome of what second home buyers want in a second home in Key West. It has parking, a pool, a beautiful garden, and it oozes charm. But that's not all. What you see on the inside makes it easy for the new owner to walk inside and start living from day one. There is no deferred maintenance nor punch list of things that one could do to make the place more livable.
When you first enter the home you see a very user-friendly kitchen with breakfast bar, handsome cabinetry, high-end stainless steel appliances, and granite counter tops. The tall vaulted ceiling and multiple French doors add lots of light to these spaces. The more "in formal" living area is off to the right. The master bedroom is at the far rear. The dining area is left front and an informal sitting area is out of view on the right front. The place is both easy on the eyes and functional.
During the cold winter nights up north in America, you and your family can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the deck overlooking your pool. I'll bet you will be using the outdoor space more than you can imagine. We all do. If its one of those few nights its rainy or chill (very few of those1), you can eat indoors.
The living area is quite informal and flows right back to the kitchen. The front door enters into this room, but I'll bet you enter through the French doors off the pool side. The transom over the front door was added for a bit of pizazz. It worked. A set of French doors in the living area open out to the sun deck. Dade County Pine walls help remind you that this an old house even if it has all the conveniences of being nearly brand new. A window wall and crisp white crown molding are employed to add both light and tone down the impact of the old Dade County Pine walls. Note also the use of recessed ceiling lights throughout the house. Lamps are used as accent pieces and not as necessities.
The master bedroom is located at the left front. It has a door that opens out to the revamped original front porch. The bedroom is quite large by Key West standards. And it is beautiful to boot.
The master bedroom has an en-suite bath. The second bedroom is located just off a small hallway. The guest bedroom uses the Dade County Pine wall to remind us again that this is an old house and not some new house in suburbia anywhere in the country.
You will see that the second or guest bedroom has quick access to the bath, but that bath doubles as the guest bath. It has a second entrance just off the small hall to provide more privacy. This home offers a lot of very thoughtful design and functionality. CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this really lovely home. (Click on any photo to enlarge.) And, take two minutes to view the YouTube video below.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. 1108 Packer is offered at $865,000. Now that you've see the pics and video,please call me Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule your own personal viewing of this great Key West home. Our office has the home next door at 1022 Packer Street for sale as well. It is offered at $1,875,000. Take a look at both. 1008 Packer Street has a lot to offer at a much lower price. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.
