1218 Margaret Street - Key West - Potential Old Town Renovation

I recently got to take a peak at 1218 Margaret Street in the Old Town South of Truman area of Key West.  This house has always puzzled me as it is constructed differently than just about any other home in Key West.  I dug into the old shoebox and found the black and white photo taken in 1965 that shows the squared-off concrete with stucco facade.  The previously totally enclosed front porch is now open.

The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows the house was built in 1948 or just after the end of World War II.  It sits on a large lot (46' X 93') or 4278 sq ft that is located about 100 feet north of United Avenue or four blocks east of Duval Street.

The house as currently configured has a large living room, dining area, and large kitchen. Two bedrooms on the south side share the one bathroom.  As I recall the ceilings are 11' tall.  The interior walls are plastered - no Dade County Pine in this home. The Property Appraiser shows the house as being 1240 sq ft.

There are two other buildings not shown on the public record, both of which have water and sewer which might be adaptable for future use.

The backyard is in my opinion large enough to accommodate a pool. Perhaps the small cottage could be salvaged and made into a pool cabana or guest cottage. The south side yard is wide enough to allow a backhoe in to dig a pool. A new owner would need to verify with the city that a pool is in fact permissible on this site.  Also, a curb but and driveway currently exist at the front of the property.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this property.

1218 Margaret Street is not my listing, but it is offered for sale at $450,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property.  This property is poised for renovation.  Since it is constructed of concrete (and not deemed historically significant), a new owner might receive permission to raze the property and build new on site.  Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a private showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1020 Von Phister Street, Key West - Casa Marina Contemporary

The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West describes 1020 Von Phister as a

"Custom built home, contemporary designed by an award wining Architect in 2002, in the heart of the Casa Marina. Located 3 blocks from the beach and tennis courts. There are 3 ensuite bedrooms, office and laundry room with marble floors throughout. Kitchen has been renovated with all new appliance and high tech lighting. Sliding glass doors reveal an outstanding tropical landscaping and large pool with a great water feature. In the master suite there are his and her bathrooms with closets. Off the master is an incredible private outdoor shower, orchid garden and deck. This home is complete with a full house generator and hurricane shutters. Two off street parking place with rolling gates. Can be bought fully furnished."

I know this area well because I have lived about 100 feet east of 1020 Von Phister Street in the Casa Marina Area of Key West since 1995. I watched as the old house previously located here was torn down and the present house was built. Construction was completed in 2002. This home is of two houses designed by internationally famous architect Yum Kee Fu. (The other house is located on nearby South Street.) 

While this home is contemporary in style, the spaces are designed for traditional uses. So many contemporary homes have big open areas that are a mush of uses. This home has specific rooms for specific uses. You never have to guess what you are supposed to do in a particular place. It is purposeful. It is graceful. And it is classy!

The main entry hall is long and broad. Art and objects can be displayed luring the guest to the expansive two story living room at the rear.   One wing juts to the right where two of the guest bedrooms, each with en-suite bath, are located. A wide opening just off the entry vestibule leads to the office, laundry, and kitchen.

The main floor bedroom at the pool side is a wonderful guest suite for today.  In later years it would make a great master bedroom in case the stairway becomes a bit of a daily challenge. The space, layout, and amenities are superior. You would not be "making do" or "getting by".

The second guest bedroom is located on the main floor as well. It has its own private outdoor sitting area plus a spacious en-suite bath.

A wall of windows and travertine marble stairway lead to the second floor master suite and rooftop orchid garden. The master bedroom area includes separate his and hers baths (or his and his or hers and hers baths - this is Key West!).

The rooftop sundeck and shower provide ultimate privacy for sunning and communing with nature. You will find it a rare day when you use the bath or indoor shower with such a beautiful outdoor shower so handy. You will not find any neighbor that has a view of the rooftop deck or the pool. 

The backside of the roof has solar panels which produce a substantial part of the energy for this home. The house actually sells energy back to Keys Energy on some days. If for some reason the sun is not cranking out electricity, the house comes with a back-up generator. (And there is the old fashioned electric line in from the street.)

The rooftop deck provides a great view of the pool and rear garden area. This space is totally secluded. The adjacent property to west runs all the way from Flagler Avenue to Von Phister Street. The home for that parcel is located on Flagler. The rear yard is filled with ancient trees that provide  shade and privacy to the owner of 1020 Von Phister Street.

1020 Von Phister Street is offered at $1,500,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos.  I took some additional photos which you can see if you CLICK HERE.

Even though I live in the Casa Marina area and, in fact, live about 100 feet east of 1020 Von Phister Street, I decided to do some internet surfing to find some words penned by others that describe the area. I found William McKeen's discussion in  MILE MARKER ZERO:The Movable Feast of Key West where he wrote about Thomas McGuane's purchasing the house across the street.

"He sold the Ann Street place and bought a second home in Key West. This house on (1011) Von Phister Street was in a tonier neighborhood, just a mile across the island, but another world from the drunken debauchery and temptations of Duval Street. The new place was near the Casa Marina, Henry Flagler's enormous resort hotel at the end of the continent. The neighborhood was quiet, home to the cleris of Key West, a better place for his wife and you son, with a guesthouse out back he could use as a writer's studio. It was as close to a cloistered suburban life as the crowded little island could allow."

I'm not sure I'd describe Casa Marina as a cloistered suburban life. But it sure is located another world from Duval Street. I love living in the Casa Marina area. And I am really serious about the beauty of the very special home at 1020 Von Phister Street. If you buy this house you will not regret it. This is one of the very best locations in all of Key West! Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 to schedule a showing of this property. You will be very pleasantly surprised. I am buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

1027 Eaton Street, Key West - Old Town Investment Property

 "Snowbird Investment! Serenity on Thompson Lane with rentability on Eaton Street. Truly the best of both worlds. 6 bedrooms,4.5 bathrooms with claw leg tubs and laundry rooms. Two identical tenant units (2/1 on Eaton Street), plus Owner's Unit with lock out guest cabana on Thompson Lane. Separate driveways for tenants and owners. Heated pool and dense landscaping for privacy. Double balconies and Dade County Pine in an historic Key West Conch House. Tenants pay the mortgage."

The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West is a pocket poet of sorts as he describes his new listing at 1027 Eaton Street in Old Town Key West which is offered for sale at $1,695,000.  Agents from my office toured the 2500 sq ft property a couple of days ago. The property is divided between the income units that face Eaton Street and the owners unit that faces Thompson Lane at the rear. The first and second floor units are identical, but the interiors finishes are a bit different.  The income units have a driveway that will accommodate three cars - a bonus for Old Town renters (having off street parking!).  The owners unit has off street parking on Thompson Lane. 

I checked out the historic Sanborn Fire Maps for Key West and found this property first shown on the 1899 edition. Earlier editions omitted this stretch of Eaton Street entirely.  This area is close to the historic Key West Seaport where most of the early homes, large and small, were built. I found a black and white photo of the property taken in 1965. Note the classic revival style architecture.  I originally assumed this was a single family home that was converted into a multi-family home, but upon review of the photos I took, which you can see if you CLICK HERE, it is entirely possible this structure was built as a two or three unit property.  The apartments have Dade County Pine interior walls that bisect the first floor. Those walls are hardened like cement. It is unlikely that someone moved the walls to create the current uses but rather the usages was adapted to fit the spaces. Staircases in most large houses of similar construction normally extend up the wall from the front door (in this case the left side). Entry halls in such houses normally extend about four feet beyond the staircase to create a total opening of seven feet or so.  The opening in this house is much wide which makes me think the room divisions bisecting the house may be original.

You can tell by looking at the black and white photo that this is a big sturdy house. The color photo taken a few days ago shows the driveway still remains in place. The house itself is pretty much obscured from view.  If I owned this property, I would edit out a lot of the palm trees and foliage and add a white picket fence. The house itself is in great condition. It's too bad you cannot see it.
Below are photos of the ground floor apartment which has two bedrooms, one bath, a living area and kitchen. The unit has use of the ground level front porch. The second floor unit has an identical layout.  That unit has the use of the second floor balcony.

 The "owner's unit" is located at the rear. This could be your winter retreat. You would have the income from the two units in front. The owner's unit includes a "lockout" which functions like a studio apartment with living/sleeping area, miniature kitchen, and bathroom.

As I mentioned earlier, this property has three off street parking spaces at the Eaton Street entrance and one off street space off Thompson Lane at the rear.  From the front of the property you would have no idea that the tropical retreat at the rear even exists.

CLICK HERE to view the KeyWest mls datasheet on 1027 Eaton Street and then pick up your phone and call 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.  This one of the few properties that you can actually own a large home and have substantial year round income at the same time.

Update: June 10, 2021.

I received the email copied below from a former resident of this house. Enjoy.

Hello,

I lived in this house many many years ago, my husband was in the Navy stationed in Key West of all places. We lived in the upstairs of this house for 4 years, through hurricanes, good times, and sad times. Jimmy Buffet was just an ordinary guy with a guitar, who knew you when you met on the street. 

The house next door, which was a motel at the time, was painted pink. We didn't have a TV but someone over at the motel did and if we sat by our kitchen window we could watch theirs. We, of course, couldn't hear but when you're watching the Olympics it didn't matter.

Our landlady was Lula McClintock, her husband was a merchant marine and right after they were married, he set off on a ship and was never heard from again. Lulu lived all her life in Key West and never left the island. She was the most interesting lady on the island. She gardened in the backyard, which was like the garden of Eden. Certainly one in paradise. 

I was glad that you included the "old" picture, it was the exact version I remembered. When I moved back to the midwest, I brought a lot of Key West with me.. shells, and items that I had collected. My husband, who passed away a few years ago, enjoyed being stationed in Key West. We were both pretty young when we got married so Key West was a honeymoon that lasted for many years. 

Thank you for including the picture and I enjoyed seeing the "improvements" made to Mrs. McClintock's house.. It brought back a lot of good memories. Her brother and sister would come and visit her every day and you could hear them call out Lula from down the block. Lula taught me how to cook cuban and to this day I can make the best yellow rice in town.