Just listed, but not by me, a one-of-a-kind Ocean Front Penthouse in at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums - No. C441 in Key West. The listing Realtor describes this unique Key West property this way:
"Exquisite oceanfront penthouse with a custom designed floor plan to take
advantage of the breathtaking Atlantic Ocean views. Luxuriously
renovated from top to bottom with stone and wood floors and built-in
cabinetry throughout. The beautifully designed kitchen has stainless
steel appliances, granite countertops, stainless steel back splash and
opens to the large living/dining room with vaulted ceiling and wood
paneled walls. The original three bedroom floor plan has been modified
to create an amazing master suite with a wall of closets, separate
dressing area, gorgeous bath and an enormous guest bedroom with a
separate sitting area with a built-in office. This elegant and very
stylish condominium is a one-of-a-kind Key West residence."
I will bet you that some smart reader will say something to himself "Well there are the same units on the three floors below." Not true. Here's why. All of the penthouse units have extra tall ceilings which provide superior exterior views and also more interior space. The additional interior space in turn creates decorating possibilities not available in units on lower floors. This particular unit has been luxuriously renovated with the custom built-ins and materials that were combined to give this unit a very sophisticated look. And if you look out to the ocean from the balcony you will appreciate the fact that there is nobody above you and never will be. You alone will have the incredible ever changing ocean and sky views.
Unit C441 provides 2000 sq ft of superior living space that includes a formal entry, renovated kitchen, and combined living and dining area. The custom cabinets seen in the kitchen flow through into the living room where they become a bar and media center. Similar cabinets are used in the other areas of this home. Likewise, the tile floors flow out to the deck that wraps around this end unit.
Custom designed wood cabinets line the hallway that leads first to the guest bedroom and then the master bedroom that faces directly on to the Atlantic Ocean. The guest bedroom is used by the owner as an office. The space is extra large and could be made into two separate bedrooms which has room for an entry vestibule between the separate spaces if desired.
The master suite includes an entry hall and dressing room, the bedroom with with killer view of the ocean, and a spa-like bath.
All of the units at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums have great balconies. This particular unit has a balcony that wraps around the unit to provide multiple outside venues for owner and guests. Notice that the same interior floor tiles are continued out to the balcony which seamlessly integrates the two areas into one. If you look to the southeast you can see Smathers Beach. And if you look off the master bedroom you can see the private beach below and the ever-changing skyline that I find exhilarating.
If the private decks and mesmerizing views are not enough, 1800 Atlantic Condominiums provide private tennis courts, a huge pool and spa, a private beach, and gardens. There is covered off street parking. If you are any kind of a fitness nut, you'll love the location for its proximity to the beach where locals and tourists jog, bike, roller blade, or do yoga or volleyball. There is always some kind of activity (or sunbathing or reading) going on at the beach.
1800 Atlantic Condominium No. C441 is offered at $1,195,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of this special property. And CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this unit. Better than looking at photos, why not look at the real thing. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I think you will be really impressed with this property.
If you have been thinking of buying one of the few remaining untouched Grand Conch Houses in Key West, may I suggest that you consider looking at the 622 Grinnell Street. This place is in pretty much original condition, and it is loaded with charm. You won't see stainless steel appliances, marble, or granite
anywhere. You will see original Dade County Pine walls, high ceilings, ancient original windows with window panes that ripple, wood floors that slope a bit in some places, porches in front, in back, on the side, and up high. You will be amazed at the awesomeness of this old house. If your are a pessimist by nature, don't look. All you will see is the work and the money you will spend. But if you are an optimist, you must look. You will see the innate beauty of this old place where you can use your creative juices to create a wondrous new living space for generations to follow.
622 Grinnell
Street is listed by Preferred Properties Key West, but it is not my
listing. The listing
agent describes the house this way:
"Wonderful, original conch home with three legal units. Great location and superb
street presence. Access to the rear cottage is from a lane.Possible conversion
back to single family and would be a really spectacular property as such.
Opportunity to work with a property that has been maintained while leaving a Key
West flavor."
I did a second review of the Sanborn Fire Maps of Key West and
learned that 622 Grinnell Street first appeared in the 1892 edition. It could have built several years before that because, for some strange reason, that block of Grinnell Street was omitted in the 1889 edition. Anyway, we know the house existed in 1892. I found a photo of the property that was taken in 1965. Compare
that black and white photo to a photo I took a couple of months ago.
The
property consists of the main house on Grinnell Street and the rear
(guest) cottage on
Canfield Lane. The main house does not have (and may have never had) an
interior staircase. I have shown this property several times and have been unable to
find any evidence of a prior interior staircase. However, the house is
quite large and there are a couple of alternative areas where a new
staircase could be added which would then lead to the conversion into a
single family residence. Until a few months ago one sibling owner occupied the
first floor and another occupied the second and third floor. The cottage has been a rental for some
time. This explains the mls listing as three legal
units.
622 Grinnell Street has 1820 sq ft of
interior living space. The cottage has an additional 512 sq ft. The
house and cottage sit on a large lot on one of the quietest blocks in
Old Town. Grinnell Street dead ends at the corner of Angela Street
which is the northern boundary of the Key West cemetery. In my opinion the highest and best use of this property would be to convert the main building into a single family residence and update the guest cottage. There is adequate room for a pool on the south side of the house and there is room for off street parking beside the guest cottage.
The
photos below were taken a few months back when the property was owner
occupied. Tenants now occupy the property and it does not show the same.
Main floor living room
Third floor apartment
Third floor apartment with old scuttles
The
rooftop deck on the main house has an incredible view of the area. You
can see the spires at St Mary's Basilica. Most of the lot is
covered with tropical foliage and red brick pavers. The house itself has
been well maintained and looks great. Buyers who seek Dade County Pine
and old glass with ripples will fall in love with this old house. There
are
little cubby holes and scuttles and other architectural treasures
galore.
Third floor rooftop deck
Second floor living room with front with front porch
The listing agent states that the property as a whole has 2740 sq ft of living space and sits on a 57' x 83' (4683 sq ft)
lot. The house has not been touched in years and would benefit from a
thorough renovation. But understand that the property is livable as is. But it could be so much more! CLICK HERE to view a slideshow of photos I took of this property.
I sold the house next door at 618 Grinnell Street a couple of years ago. It was in similar condition and it was owned by the same folks that own 622 Grinnell Street. My buyer got a much better price than the asking price. That does not infer a buyer for 618 Grinnell would get the same type of deal, but you never know what price you can agree upon until you make a real offer. My buyer did an excellent renovation of his property for which he received a Ceramic Star for Historic Restoration. (He took out most of the old trees and vegetation, added a pool, parking on the side, and introduced new native landscaping.) Look at the before and after and imagine how proud you would be to receive to similar recognition.
The
600
block of Grinnell Street is one of the quietest blocks in Old Town.
That is because it ends at Angela Street which is the northern border of
the Key West cemetery. That means that Conch trains, trolley cars, and Duck
Tour vehicles will not be using this street. Those vehicles cannot traverse
Angela Street. Your life will be quieter because of this. Occasionally
you will still
see tourists walking by or riding bikes. And you will see neighbors go
across the street to use the Grinnell Street Pocket Park.
Five
Brothers Grocery and Sandwich Shop is located down on the corner of Southard Street.
The Key West Historic Seaport is located three blocks further north and
Duval Street is located five blocks to the west. Most of the gyms and
yoga studios are located within a five to ten minute walk of this location.
622 Grinnell Street is offered at $1,200,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet on this property. Or better than that, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email atkw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.
Situated on a prime stretch of land in beautiful Key West, 1617 White Street is a luxurious tropical retreat that rests on an unusually large and private lot encompassing 32,213 sq ft (which includes guest cottage offered separately). The property is located across the street from a park and one block from Higg's Beach and the great Atlantic Ocean.
Lush tropical foliage conceals this Key West residence from the rest of
the world and offers a cool place to rest outside the main entrance. The front veranda features an
elaborate front door, decorative crown pediments, and double sets of
windows on either side of the front entry.
The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties describes this property thus:
"This
splendid tropical estate rests on 25013 square feet of land and extends
from White Street right through to Sirugo Avenue. The completely
renovated elevated residence has ocean views from the cupola and rooftop
deck and a dramatic vista across the pool and lawn to the spectacular
waterfall. In addition to the luxurious poolside master suite and two
guest bedrooms with en suite baths, there is a charming study in the
tower and a very efficient office overlooking the pool. This home was
featured in the Oct. '01 issue of Architectural Digest. There is a
whole-house generator and a hurricane protection system. For additional
money, an adjoining property of two units having a total of 3 bedrooms,3
baths and a pool may also be purchased."
The entry and staircase with original fretwork balustrade.
The
present owner purchased the main house in 1997 and engaged local
architect Tom Pope and interior designer Thomas Achilles (who had
designed other projects for the owner). The trio collaborated to
transform the original house into something truly unique. The most
prominent feature visible from the street is the widow's walk.
Historically, widow's walks were places where sailors' wives would climb
to look out to the sea to search for the returning ships. Wireless
radio made those roof top perches needless. Since the original house was
only built in 1983, the widows' walk was more a folly than a
necessity when built. The owner and his design team expanded the widows' walk
to include a rooftop sundeck. What a perfect place to this must be to view the glorious Key West sunrises and sunsets.
The palms at the front of the
residence now obscure much of the front facade and widows' walk from
public view. But the widows' walk is still the most prominent feature
when viewed from the rear.
This property was featured in the October 2001 issue of Architectural Digest where the owner was quoted as saying "Key West has Cuban
sensuality and a Caribbean irreverence. At the same time, the island has
a distinctly American individualism and a clear-stated preference for
charm and history that can only be European. We tried to make sure our
home blended all of these elements."
The
home has 3259 sq ft of living space under air that includes formal
entry, elegant living area with views to the front and rear, three
bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, and the roof top widows' walk with its 360 degree
views of the Island of Key West. The interiors are rich in
design and color. The designer used used a color pallet of tans,
caramels, creams, and magenta that were set off by crisp white trim. The entire property is fenced and
lighted. There is bricked off street parking for several vehicles.
Although
the main entry is Key West casual, you know upon entry this is not s
typical Key West property. The front door opens into the entry which
then expands to the right where the living room is located. That space
is quite large and has multiple sitting areas. The fireplace, one of
three in this home, is the focal point of this area.
The
rear wall of the living room and adjacent formal dining room is
actually multiple sets of French doors that open out onto the covered
veranda that wraps around the rear of the home. Note the bay window
effect of the French doors in the dining alcove.
Bay window off the dining alcove
The
master suite (below) has multiple sets of French doors that open out to
the rear loggia as well. The suite as presently configured includes a
large office area which might easily become a media room, the bedroom
chamber with fireplace, luxurious master bath, and an adjacent mini-kitchen for morning coffee or late night munchies.
View from office
View from the master bedroom
There
are two bedrooms on the second floor each of which has an en-suite
bath. And finally there is the widows' walk and sundeck which offer
amazing views of the south end of the island, the nearby ocean, and the
beautiful park-like garden to the rear. Guests here will truly never
want to go home.
After
completing the renovation and expansion of the main house, the owner
purchased abutting properties to the rear. The existing houses were razed to
expand the rear of the property where a park-like botanical garden was
created complete with massive waterfall plus an nearby bandstand for
large gatherings.
When you enter the home your
eyes are immediately drawn through the house, past the pool, and pulled toward the sputtering waterfall at the rear of the garden literally located a block away. You
don't see sights like that in Key West nor most places. The effect is
quite dramatic.
The
waterfall demands attention. It commands first time visitors to walk
through the garden to the foot of pond where the water collects. While
wandering toward the fountain I passed a myriad varieties of fruit and
citrus trees, flowering trees, and palm trees of all kinds.
Ten foot tall waterfall at the rear of the palm grove
Of
course there is a huge swimming pool with its own waterfall, a Jacuzzi,
an outdoor shower, an outdoor kitchen, and a pool laundry (for pool towels, of
course). A sunny deck surrounds the pool. The expansive loggia provides
ample entertaining areas for many guests. Hillary Clinton was a guest
of honor at a campaign event held here in 2008 where about five hundred supporters were present.
Please take a moment and view the YouTube Video for additional information.
1617 White Street is a listing of Preferred Properties Key West, but not my listing. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property which is offered at $3,750,000. The adjacent guest cottage may be purchased separately. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.
