1305 Petronia Street, Key West, Florida - The Meadows

The listing Realtor got it right when he said 1305 Petronia Street was "Lovingly restored with every attention to luxurious detail".  When you see a house as pretty as this you may not have an appreciation of all the time, work, and money that went into the creation of a such a beautiful home. I hope today's blog will help you appreciate this wonderful home a bit more.

Like other Realtors I drive up and down the streets of Key West on an almost daily basis showing properties to prospective buyers. Sometimes when I see something out the ordinary, I'll stop my car to take a photo so that I can go back later  to compare what was to what became.  I took such a photo around 2010 after work had commenced on this Petronia Street home.  I could see that the original cottage was being substantially enlarged by a one and one-half story addition at the rear. I dug into the old shoebox and found some photos to show the progression on this property.

1305 Petronia St - 1965

The listing Realtor describes the finished property as an:

"Architectural Meadows masterpiece. Impeccably renovated 3 bedroom home in the highly sought-after Meadows neighborhood. Lovingly restored with every attention to luxurious detail: vaulted ceilings, Brazilian hardwood floors, large living room and spacious downstairs master suite. Modern kitchen with granite countertops and high-end stainless steel appliances, including a built in espresso maker and wine bar. Two guest bedrooms, full bathroom, and home-office space upstairs. Fully-fenced backyard with beautiful hardwood deck,lush tropical landscaping and off-street parking. An idyllic Meadows treasure with beautiful natural light throughout the home."

I searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and found 1305 Petronia Street first appearing in the 1912 addition. That tells us the house existed as of that date, but it does not mean the house was not built earlier.  Earlier additions of the Sanborn maps totally omitted this area altogether.  I found the 1920 aerial photo below to which I added street names that show White Street, Eaton Street, Palm Avenue, and Eisenhower Driver [which was then called North Beach Blvd.]. I identified 1305 Petronia Street by address and an downward arrow.   The large triangle shaped area is the old Army base and parade ground.  

Now that we have our history lesson completed, let's move on to the good stuff.  1305 Petronia Street is an old house made all new.  The original front cottage is totally redone.  I read the building records which show the house was moved just a bit which means all new piers were added. I already mentioned the addition to the rear. The addition features Hardiboard siding. The house has all new water, sewer,electric and other mechanical systems. There are new impact windows throughout the house except the front windows.  There's a new roof. So even though this house looks old, it's new for all other purposes.

The original cottage with historic sawtooth addition is now the main living area. The combined living, dining, and kitchen are simply beautiful.  Everything works! The look is clean and elegant.

CLICK HERE to view all photos that I took of this house.

The master bedrooms with en-suite bath are big, spacious, and aesthetically pleasing. Part of the reason you want a place in Key West is to enjoy the scenery as well as the climate. Here the bedroom has dual French doors and windows that allow garden views to bring the outside inside.  The master bath has a large shower, tub, and double vanities. The laundry is tucked away in a closet in the bathroom as well.

There are two good sized bedrooms on the second floor.  The vaulted ceilings add dimension and drama to what might otherwise be hum-drum spaces in another house. Look at the sharp angle of the bath closet door which follows through in the shower dormer. This is good stuff.  The two bedrooms share a bath that would rival one you see in a Ritz Carlton hotel.  The owner has cleverly created a nifty office space at the top of the stairs.

The back garden includes has an Epay deck. (The bird on the palm frond was real. He was singing his little heart out!) The side yard has brick pavers which extend past the gated fence and become the off street parking space.  A side door just on the other side of the fence enters the house at the stairwell to the second floor. The main floor powder room is located opposite the stairway.

1305 Petronia Street is offered for sale at $1,200,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet.  Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this really pretty home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

The Importance of Finding Ernie

The Conch Telegraph reported that Bert and Ernie were recently seen on an airplane headed to Key West.  Various tourists captured photos of the famous pair and posted them to Instagram. Gossip travels fast in Key West. And if you are celebrities like Bert and Ernie, it travels even faster.

Bert was spotted sipping cocktails on the plane ride down to Key West. After the plane landed Bert sped over to the Bourbon Street Pub for happy hour.  He left Ernie at the airport waiting for their bags to arrive on a later flight.  Thank you very much American Airlines! 

Word got out that Bert was in town without Ernie. Newsmen and paparazzi appeared out of nowhere hoping to snap a shot Bert.

Day turned into night.  Bert wandered up and down and into and out of all the bars on Duval and the side streets looking for his little buddy.  At the end of the night he ended up at Captain Tony's playing pool for shots.   

Captain Tony's was a very bad choice.  Bert woke up the next morning and found himself mounting a Hemingway Cat that looks like Adolph Hitler reincarnated!  Once he sobered up Bert once again set out to find Ernie.

Bert went over to Simonton Street hoping Ernie might be at their favorite old deli only to find the place was closed and Ernie was nowhere to be found.

Bert then headed to seaport.  B.O.'s Fish Wagon was another favorite hangout. No Ernie there either. He wandered around Old Town for hours. Eventually he and made his way up to the Key West Cemetery.

Bert wandered over to the sweet little pink house over by the Key West Cemetery.  Bert and Ernie rented it for a month last year. Best vacation ever! But Ernie was nowhere to found. Bert then remembered their first trip to Key West when they stayed in a trailer up on Simonton Street.

When Bert arrived at the trailer court not only was Ernie not there, the trailer court was not there either. It was as if their life together had been erased. It seemed to Bert that he was living in the Twilight Zone or something.

 That night Bert went back over to the Bourbon Street Pub hoping against hope that Ernie would show up. He got wasted again.  When he walked out the front door door of the bar he heard someone say "Put on sock on it!" and ran for his life. 

The next morning Bert woke up with the worst hangover ever!  He headed over to Alcoholics Anonymous.  Whatever happened inside stayed inside.

Bert didn't fall off the end of the earth, Thank God!  But when Bert came out he renewed his quest to find Ernie with even more determination. He wandered the streets of Key West for several more hours.  It turned out that Ernie had been tracing Bert's movements. Everywhere he went he heard something like Bert was just here looking for you.  Forlorn, Ernie walked over to the the parking lot opposite the Leather Master on Appleroth Lane where he fell asleep. He awoke when Bert gave him a nudge. Together again!

Bert and Ernie made their way to Ft Zach Taylor Beach - their favorite place in the world - waiting for sunset.  Key West is the place they where they plan to spend their retirement - together.

832 Johnson Lane, Key West - Back on the Market

Looking for a "Fixer" in Old Town?  832 Johnson Lane may be the place you have been waiting to find. 

Just below is a photo of 832 Johnson Lane that was taken in 1965.  I took the photo below it to show the same house nearly 50 years later.  Our Historical Architectural Review Commission (HARC) will need to approve any exterior changes to the building.  The existing house has just one bedroom and one bath.  The Monroe County Property Appraiser says the 527 sq ft house sits on a 2633 sq ft lot or 25' x 116'.  The house sits close to the front of the lot. A new owner could seek permission from HARC to expand the size of the little house by adding to the rear. It appeared to me that the existing foundation is a bit dated. The existing piers may need rebuilt or replaced.  A new owner might seek permission to move the house back from the lane a bit further. If that were done new piers, plumbing, sewer, and electric would be necessary as well. But those improvements and the new foundation would be the start of a revitalization of this old house.

832 Johnson Lane as it appeared in 1965

As we walked through the house I knew nothing on the inside was worth saving. The rooms are very small and dysfunctional. They were built long ago for people who lived much differently than we live today. I didn't bother to take any photos because the interiors will be gutted and replaced by whoever buys this place. The house will also need new wood windows, doors, and floors.  A new kitchen and bath(s) will replace what exists today. There is some Dade County Pine which ought to be preserved.

I consider the backyard as the most attractive feature of this home. The yard is 25' wide by 116' deep or 2633 sq ft. The back property line abuts the rear of a parking lot that belongs to a guest house on Truman Avenue.  I am making an assumption that a new owner may be able to obtain permission to use the parking lot for a limited time to add a pool and deliver building materials necessary to renovate the cottage. 

The above photo was taken from the back step of the house and looks south. There is no back porch.  I have added a graphic to show the lot line at the rear.  As you can see there is a lot of open space from the house to the rear lot line. The plumeria tree seen in the photo (some call it a Frangipani) is not protected. It can be removed to provide room for lot development such as adding a pool.

The above photos were taken from the rear lot line looking toward the house.  The small addition to the rear is bathroom. The original "out house" still sits exists on the property. The plastic blue chair (two photos above) rests in the middle of the old outhouse. HARC and building rules may permit that space to be expanded into a cabana or other use.

The above photo shows the condition of the rear piers or foundation.  This is typical of some older homes in Key West that have not yet been renovated. Many of the lovely homes you see on the streets and lanes of Old Town used to look something like this. Some were much better to be sure, but others were worse.  Our local contractors are seasoned veterans when it comes to dealing with fixing old foundations which are essential to any good renovation.  Once the foundation is repaired, the creative part begins.

Johnson Lane is only one block long and runs parallel between Truman Avenue to the south and Olivia Street to the north. Entrances are located on Windsor Lane (that intersects at Truman Avenue) on the west and Margaret Street to the east.  The lane itself is a mix of very expensive town homes, some nicely updated homes, and a few little cottages like 832 Johnson Lane that await renovation.  Photos of the house next door and across the lane are shown below.

Next door

Across the lane

832 Johnson Lane is offered for sale at $580,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for more information.

If you would like to see 832 Johnson Lane or any other house in Key West, 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.