Hurricane Irma - Key West - Part One

About four weeks ago newscasters started to talk about Hurricane Irma forming the waters of the Atlantic. Initial announcements of hurricanes forming catch my attention but do not alarm me as they typically die off or meander through the Caribbean and head north in the Atlantic Ocean.

I have lived in the Key West for 23 years and have been here for every hurricane except Georges in 1998. I was in Miami attending refresher real estate school when that hurricane was announced.

That storm slammed the Florida Keys. I spoke to friends on the phone who stayed in Key West during that storm and was told the flood and wind damage was extensive.  Locals who evacuated were not allowed to return for several days. It took me nearly twelve hours to drive the 120 miles from Miami to Key West. The next day I drove the streets and learned that only certain areas flooded and that while the wind damage was widespread, it was did not cause houses to fly up into the sky like in the Wizard of Oz. Instead, there was massive loss of palm trees and what I call tropical foliage. (In the following years Key West experienced the same type loss of tree damage - mostly to palm and poorly maintained trees.) I decided as a rule it made more sense for me to stay in Key West than to drive 120 miles to Miami or beyond. I don't have children and would not risk the lives of anyone else. I do not believe staying in Key West is life threatening to anyone. 

The year 2005 brought four named storms to Key West including the infamous Hurricane Wilma which caused significant flood damage from a storm surge.  Key West is located at the tail end of the Florida Keys. It is four miles long and about one mile wide. The island is surrounded by a reef which minimizes damages from large waves – they just do not occur. The historic Old Town area is located at the westernmost side of the island.  The Newtown area is located on the eastern side of the island and Midtown is in the middle. Both areas were developed in the 1950s and 1960s when former low-lying areas and former salt ponds were filled and raised to create building lots. Those areas were impacted the most by the storm surge that occurred as a result of Wilma’s devastating impact on Miami. There was no “wall of water”. Instead, water quickly rose from the ground and soon filled the streets and homes with up to four feet of water above grade. Several storms threatened us in the following years following Hurricane Wilma which caused local and state officials to issue mandatory evacuation orders. Schools and businesses closed and families headed north. The police do not enforce the evacuation. People who do stay are warned that if they stay, they are on their own in the event of an emergency. In the twelves since Wilma, none of the named storms ever reached Key West.

I watched CNN and the other networks for several days as Hurricane Irma churned through the Atlantic. I listened to Chad Meyers and others warn of catastrophic winds and tidal surges of ten feet or higher. Irma moved very slowly. There was ample time to leave, but the potential path was so wide it was difficult to decide whether  to go east to Miami or north toward Orlando.

I decided to stay in Key West with a friend at the soon to open Marquesa 4-1-4 Hotel on Simonton Street.  The new building is located behind the historic Kerr House and the former Pilot House guesthouse which are the focal point of the development. The new building was built to Florida’s tough building codes to withstand winds up to 200 MPH. I would stay in a second floor junior suite just in case the highly improbably ten foot tidal surge Chad Myers predicted were to come true.

Two days before the storm I drove along Truman Avenue and North Roosevelt Boulevard to take photos of a few “landmarks” just to note what they looked like before the storm. I guesstimate that seventy percent or more of town had evacuated by that point. We have a lot of single people who do not have cars or funds to go someplace else. Others, like me, find it more convenient to stay and cope with the discomforts of heat and no electricity than to deal with the discomforts of evacuation and re-entry. If you followed the news after the storm, you are aware the authorities restricted re-entry for several days to persons with re-entry passes and Key West identification. 

Duncan Auto Sales ferried most of its car inventory out of harm’s way. The lot was empty except for two kiosks and a few pickup trucks. Both kiosks were downed by the hurricane. Within a couple of days after the storm passed, the vehicles were returned.

I noticed two dredgers were tethered to a dock opposite the Burger King on North Roosevelt. I had not seen any vessel docked at this location before. I got out of my car to take photos including the Burger King. The Burger King store experienced some signage damage which is typical of many businesses on this roadway.  I do not recall seeing any structural damage to any building except for some scattered roof damages. I did not see any lost roofs. 

We have three shopping centers in Key West. I took photos of the Searstown Center because it is the largest. In addition to Sears, there is a PUBLIX grocery, Outback Steak House, Regal Cinema, and Royal Furniture, our number one furniture store. All of the stores and eateries were boarded up.

The days after the storm have melded together. About three or four days after Irma hit, I heard that food, water, and ice were being given out at Searstown. I only needed ice. The first day the lines were so long that I turned my car around and went home. The second day I parked my car and walked up to a local police woman who told me there was no more ice. When I asked her when it might be available, she said when it gets here. So I went home - frustrated. The third day I parked my car a block away. I found a red shopping cart and walked from the far west side of Sears to the east side where I found a massive assemblage of the US military personnel, Florida National Guard, FEMA, and other government and charitable groups. The east side of the parking lot was full of cars and trucks of locals who were waiting in line to get food, water, and ice. I passed through a sea what looked like high school kids in military uniforms, young men and women of every color and race, each cleanly scrubbed with short haircuts and spiffy clean uniforms. I felt so damned old and so damned proud. One young man gave me two cases of bottled water. I moved forward where I was offered ready-to-eat meals which I declined. A muscular 6'2" or taller Marine placed two bags of ice in my cart. I heard a "God Bless You!" My body lunged forward and I grasped the bar with both hands. I was over whelmed with emotion. At that point I had not seen any television and had not heard that much about the damage to the other Keys. But I could sense the magnitude of the event by the number of people who were there.

The day before the storm I went over to the White Street Pier, Higgs Beach, and the Casa Marina Resort to memorialize those sites.  The streets were empty. A murder of crows or some other big band of black birds ominously were perched on electric power lines as if they were aware a big storm was headed our way.

Old Town Fire Station commend center after the storm

Our real estate office is located about 125 feet away from the newly constructed Old Town Fire Station where the City of Key West assembled its battery of service vehicles that would become useful in dealing with the aftermath of the storm. The bottom photo just above shows the same area thirteen days later. FEMA has set up camp here to take claims from persons impacted by Irma. 

I took the above photo of Marquesa 4-1-4 yesterday, September 19, 2017, the place I stayed at during the hurricane, 10 days after Irma hit Key West.  I post this photo to let you know that not only this business but most businesses and homes in Key West were not damaged. My next blog will take readers on a photo tour of Old Town immediately after the storm ended.

1105 Washington Street, Key West - New Casa Marina Renovation

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More than thirty years ago someone told me one of the best lessons about Key West real estate: you can't tell what a house is like from the front! Look up at the photo of the pool at this freshly renovated Casa Marina Area home. I live a block away and have seen the front of this house for more than twenty-two years. I have written about it a couple of times over the years and even remarked that a new owner could add a pool. I never expected to see a view like this. It is stunning.

The listing Realtor describes 1105 Washington Street in Key West this way:

"Remarkable Renovation, resulting in a stunning restful retreat. An easy stroll to the Ocean, this One Level Gem is located in heart of Casa Marina District. The combination of finishes and design creates a beach house ambiance, from Stunning wood finished walls, Sparkling Quartz Kitchen and Gorgeous tiled floors. Each of the three bedrooms feature ensuite bathrooms, finished with soft hues of gray and white tile and quartz. Two sets of French doors open out from the living room to stunning Keystone Paved Deck and New pool with cascading waterfalls. Metal roof, Impact Glass windows and Doors and concrete structure will contribute to low insurance costs while providing high energy efficiency and protection. Plenty of room for parking, with one off street spot and additional street parking."

The design is very efficient and pragmatic. It is sort of akin to what you might expect in Scandinavia. It is cool, modern, and sleek. Two of the three bedrooms are located at the front. Both have large en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets. The porcelain tile floors look like wood but are much easier to clean and maintain. The quartz counter-tops in the bathrooms are plain elegant. I was especially taken by the front right bathroom with a built-in linen closet of sorts that reminds me of houses back in the 1950s.  New wood walls were added to various rooms in the house including the bedrooms. This design element offers a change of pace from typical drywall. Other design elements used throughout the house include recessed ceiling lights, large baseboards, trim, crown molding, and matte black hardware. Each bedroom has windows which look out to the front porch and fenced front yard.  The new owner will get to landscape the house with as much or as little vegetation as desired. I am a firm believer that less is more because everything grows in Key West except hair. (I have all of mine.) I would keep tropical plantings to a minimum because they will grow, but it you add too much or too tall plants, you won't be able to see the house or the street.

The renovation added another design element that did not previously exist. The house was sort of bisected and a center hall added. The hall also has wood walls and a couple of doors. One leads to the laundry area. But it is the hall itself that adds to the drama of arrival at the open great great room at the rear of the house and the cool pool view beyond. Then the guest cottage (or third bedroom) appears.

The great room is designed for Key West laid back living. It you use this house as a full time home or a part time getaway place, you will spend a lot of time outdoors. That is what we all do. That is why we moved here - to enjoy the wonderful Key West weather. The French doors will be open throughout most of the year and family members and guests will be inside and outside all the time.

The bathroom for the rear bedroom does double duty as the guest bath for the main house. A door off the living room provides easy access.  The third bedroom could easily be a home office or a painter's cottage or writer's studio for most of the time until the grand kids show up.  

White Street Pier in the 1970s

Higg's Beach 2003

Sandy's Cafe 2016

 The Casa Marina Area has been my home for the past twenty-two years. The ocean is nearby. It never changes, but it is always different. The skies, the breezes, the smells - they change. They always change and draw my attention as I drive by.  Faustos Grocery is a couple of blocks away. It is the primary grocer for many and a quick stop for someone like me who goes there for milk, bread, or a lottery ticket. There are several gyms and yoga studios in the area as well. Yesterday I was driving home from my open house just after 2:00 PM and there had to be 20 people in line across the street at Sandy's waiting to get something to eat. These are things you can expect and will enjoy to be a part of your future no matter where you buy in Key West. They are just closer if you live in the Casa Marina Area.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and then please give me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, a phone call to set up a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me take you around the neighborhood and you may just fall in love with another part of Key West that you never thought of.

1126 Stump Lane, Key West - Open House

 Open House Today

12:00 to 2:00

1126 Stump Lane 

There is a lot of home built into this 570 square foot Key West cottage which the owners call "Little Shangri La". It has a formal entry hall that leads to the main living area with cathedral ceiling, Dade County Pine walls, a home office or spare guest room, and French doors which open out to the new AZEC deck. The bathroom has a Jacuzzi tub on the inside but there is an Outdoor Shower outside.

Offered fully furnished at $549,000.

1215 Truman Avenue, Key West - Price Reduction!

That past two weeks in Key West have been pretty amazing.  Town is like it was twenty years ago. There is a noticeable, no a remarkable, decrease in the amount of tourists. Parking is easy. Traffic is a breeze. I don't have to watch for numbskull bike riders who think they are pedaling on a pretend street in Disneyland. It's also hotter and more humid than I ever remember.  I think it may have something to do with the solar eclipse from last week. The day of the eclipse the little frogs that live out by my pool shut up all night long. The palm trees that usually go "wsssshhhhh" were equally calm and barely moved. It really was eerie. Last Friday and Saturday the air was hollow and the skies were gray - especially off to the west and northwest - toward Texas.

I wrote about 1215 Truman Avenue in early April.  I am genuinely surprised that it has not sold. But it hasn't and the price has just been reduced from $1,049,000 to $995,000.

Locals refer to this style of house as a Conch House. It is large impressive house with the strong architectural lines identified elsewhere as a Classical Revival.  In his book The Houses of Key West Alex Cammerer described Conch Houses as "...a simple rectangular block of more than one story. It has a low-pitched roof; the main entrance is on the gabled end. The attic story extends beyond the vertical plane of the vertical stories, forming a portico. Formal columns ...are an integral part of the portico structure."

 I searched for historic photos of the house and found the old black and white postcard below dated 1929. I added an arrow to identify what I believe to be 1215 Division Street (which is now known as 1215 Truman Avenue).  The house is located opposite Bayview Park to the left. The perpendicular street still exists today. The large two story house located across Division Street at the corner of Georgia Street and the adjacent cottage no longer exist.  Other homes that may have existed in that area were replaced by what became the Division St Grammar School which later became the Monroe County Office Building.  Locals and returning tourists will quickly notice that Division Street (or Truman Avenue) abruptly ended at the Garrison Bight. In later years US 1 was built around the barren ground to the east and tied into Division Street. As years became decades many of these once grand old houses became apartments, guest houses, while others were converted into commercial uses. A few stately single family homes remain.

 The listing Realtor describes 1215 Truman Avenue as an...

"Historic Conch house on great corner in the Meadows. Classic lines and built prior to to 1912, it has lots of Dade County pine throughout & is perfect for a home & home office with close proximity to White St, the “Local’s Duval St”. Relaxing pool area with a wonderfully spacious lanai surround it. Large front and side porches enhance the charm of the home. 3 or 4 bedrooms, second floor balcony, tall ceilings, huge attic space and a rare carport & off street parking off Georgia Street make this a very special one. Its ready and ripe for renovation to create your dream home."

I found the above black and white photo of this same house taken in 1965.  Notice that the three bays and porch railing appear a bit different in 2017.  The MLS datasheet shows the property as being 2120 square feet with air conditioned living space. Today the main level has approximately 1246 square feet of living space and 874 square feet on the second floor. Both floors have access to the front porches which each measure 6' X 23'.

1215 Truman Avenue is shown as a contributing structure on the Key West Historic Survey. In more recent years a part of this home was used converted to some commercial use.  The Monroe County Property Appraiser notes in its property identification card that "1215 TRUMAN AVE NO LONGER USED AS REAL ESTATE OFFICE"  The same property records show a pool was added to the property in 1997. There is a nice partially covered deck area on the west side of the house. Part of the house has been used as a residence and part was used for business purposes. I think what was a window in middle bay of the first floor was converted into an entry door. I believe the entry is on the left because opened into the stairway to the second.. The front and side yards are now fenced. Additionally, there is covered off street parking at the rear. This house is perfectly livable as it sits, but it could be a grand renovation project for the buyer who wants a big historic home. The front of  the house is minimally landscaped. There is ample room for more plantings.

So many of the grand conch houses in Old Town have already been gobbled up and restored. Few are left. This home is a rare exception. Were it located in the heart of Old Town, it would have already sold. It is not. That is why the price has been reduced. This house is worth much more than it is priced. It really, truly is. Don't let the Truman Avenue location scare you away. This is worth both seeing and buying. Take advantage of the fact that other buyers are away. They will return in a couple of months and someone will grab this one. But not if you act first.


CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

Tales from Key West Real Estate - No. 1

The normal practice in Key West is for the Listing Agent to show his/her property to the buyers and his/her agent. This is because many of our properties (especially in Old Town) are unique.

One day several years ago my customers and I were looking at fairly expensive home that was being rented on a long term basis. The tenants were single young adult Europeans. I assume they worked in restaurants.  They were too well groomed to do any manual labor.

The agent first opened a shut bedroom door and took us into the room where the drapes or blinds were shut. We were told to "Sssh!" so as to not disturb the pretty blond girl asleep on the bed. This was early afternoon. 

Next we went into the adjacent bedroom. Nobody was in that bed. The window coverings were open. I remember the place being ablaze with light. We stood inside several minutes discussing the unit. Then the bathroom door opened.  A brief blast of  bathroom humidity burst into the room. A tall blond Adonis walked out wearing a black bikini.  He didn't seem a bit phased by finding us in his room.

Harvey Hurricane Relief

We have all seen things in the past few days that most of us probably never expected. Hurricane Harvey has forced thousands upon thousands of people from their homes with only the clothes on their backs. The storm is not over, and it will take weeks to even obtain a semblance of the physical damage to the homes, businesses, infrastructure, and, most importantly, to the lives of those who have been impacted by this storm. If you have not been affected by a hurricane, consider yourself lucky.  You have no idea how demoralizing it is and how even the word "hurricane" stirs recurring images in your head. The four million people in Houston and environs lives will never be the same.

Like many of those of you reading this blog, I have often given money to the American Red Cross in response to tragic events I saw on television. I could see the need and I felt it necessary to give something to help others impacted by whatever event triggered my need to give.

Key West was devastated by Hurricane Wilma in 2005.  I remember an aid worker from the AMERICAN RED CROSS who came to my door asking if I was okay and if they offer me assistance.  Those workers went from door to door throughout Key West offering aid to rich and poor alike.

How odd it was for me to be contacted by the American Red Cross to ask if they could help me.

I urge everyone who reads today's blog to contact the AMERICAN RED CROSS and give something.  We all have more than we really need. It is time to help others.

CLICK HERE to go to the official American Red Cross website and make a donation.  You can donate by credit card or send a check.  You can even designate where you want your money go.  If you send in a check you can avoid getting on a pesky email solicitation that seems to never stop once you do give.