409 William Street, Key West - So This is How the Other Half Lives

The Gideon Lowe House located at 409 William Street in Key West was built circa 1866 or during the Civil War.  While Florida had seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy, Key West remained under Union control as the island was command central for controlling access to the Gulf of Mexico and merchant shipping. This Grand Conch style home is located on a block of similar prestigious homes of that era.  William Street is viewed by many as one of the prettiest blocks in the historic district.

As the prosperity of Key West waned, the house became a bed and breakfast first known as the Gideon Lowe House and later as Whispers Guest House.  Then the property was sold to a local group who meticulously renovated the original house and added a pool, decking, and gardens for which that owner received a ceramic star for historic preservation and renovation. When you enter the entry hall you know you have arrived at an important home. The attention to detail is evident as you make your way to the rear where the new great room, dining area, and kitchen are now located. Three sets of doors open out to the deck and pool area.

I saw this home last week during Realtor caravan. As I was walking out to the pool I overheard another Realtor remark "So this is how the other half lives!"  It is. And they live it very well. Everything is perfect.

The outdoor living area will become a big part of your everyday living routine, especially in the winter when it is cold as blazes up north. The inside and outside become one when the doors are opened and guests move easily between the two areas. The pool and waterfall catch your attention with color and the sound of water falling. The colors of the house blend with the natural colors of the landscaping, the water, and sky. It all just falls together.

This home has two master suites including the first floor master bedroom with Mahogany doors which open out to the front porch. There is a large walk-in closet and huge master bath. The house has new heart pine floors throughout the house. Even tall men won't feel cramped in this home which has 10.5 foot ceilings.

The second floor master bedroom also has petite French doors which open out to the second floor covered balcony. It likewise has a large walk-in closet and equally large bath. The laundry room is located at the stair turnaround. Another staircase leads to the two guest bedrooms and bath which are located on the third floor. The front bedroom is being used as an office by the current owner. I snapped a photo of 408 William Street which I reported on in my blog two days ago not knowing I would be writing about that property a few days later. The views from the third floor are intoxicating if you love old houses.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 409 William Street, Key West, offered at $3,450,000.  The home is being offered FULLY FURNISHED. The listing Realtor has a detailed list of the items. Then 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. We need to sit on the front porch and take that sofa for a ride.

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408 William Street, Key West - Ronny Bailey's Homage to the Old Bahama House

The thing that makes Key West different from every place else in America is that it is not like everyplace else - not the people, not the climate, not the rat race, and certainly not the houses. Some current local business people may want to change that.  We know who they are; where they live; and they better just not get too far out there if they know what's best. In the meantime let's celebrate our rich heritage of old homes saved from wrecking balls and developers.

408 William Street, Key West, was brought to Key West from Green Turtle Cay in 1847, and settled into its current home on one of the best streets in Old Town. It has received numerous local and state historic preservation awards. All rooms have windows and or doors to provide natural ventilation (there were no air conditioners in the mid 1800s). 

Local folk artist Ronny Bailey created his artistic homage to the "Old Bahama House" also known as the "Richard Roberts House" which I recently photographed on the back of Ronny's pick-up truck.  Ronny is a multi-generation Conch who retired from the carpentry trade several years ago.  He never lost the joy of working with wood. He started messing around with left over pieces of Dade County Pine from old houses. He cut the old boards into tiny pieces which he used to build replicas of real houses in Key West. He created windows, doors, roofs, and shutters using tiny pieces of the salvaged wood which he meticulously painted.  Note the attention to detail even showing variations of the wood actually used in the real house. See also the peeling paint and evidence of potential wood rot forming at the base of the building. This effect was achieved through paint technique.

Ronny told me this project was too important for just one folk artist to undertake. So he enlisted his grandson to paint the picture of the fish which hangs on the inside wall of the house.  Even though the green painted Bahama shutters have a few failing slats, you still cannot see inside the front windows. However, Ronny left the red door ajar where we can see the inside is equally detailed. All of the interior is also painted  including the walls, ceiling, floors, baseboard, and door trim. Look carefully at the grime on the red entry door framed by green trim and weather-beaten yellow siding.

Note the scuttle visible atop the roof above. It can be seen in both the lithograph and in the 1934 black and white photo taken by a WPA photographer who photographed many of the old houses in Key West during the Great Depression. Scuttles were retractable metal boxes on top of roofs which allowed warm air to rise to the outside. This house house has porches on the south and north sides with windows and doors which allows natural air to cool the inside. The metal roof shows signs of age and rust. Remember this is a tiny replica. Ronny taught himself how to bend old metal to the same shape as real roofs. This ain't easy folks. One time Ronny told me that some of his carpenter friends saw his work and decided to emulate (better word for copy) him. He said they gave up. They could cut and put pieces of wood together, but they could not create any piece that resembled his works. I suggest we nominate Ronny to go on America's Got Talent, but we'd all get bored to death because these pieces take months to create. 

You'll also see Ronny's watch words "joy, peace, and love" painted on the house. Ronny's watch words appear on each of his works. See if you can find them.

Ronny's homage to the Old Bahama House will be on display at the Key West Custom House.

The Key West/Bahamas Connection

January 18 - April 7, 2019

Custom House Museum | Bryan Gallery

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97 Bay Drive, Saddlebunch Key, Florida

If you are among the idled government workers, contractors, or just the idle rich, you may be stuck in some snowbound abode or at least in some gray forsaken city where it's cold and gray. Today as I write this blog it is a sunny 74 degrees in Key West and Saddlebunch Key where I just viewed 97 Bay Drive. The listing Realtor invited me up to take a look and asked me to blog about this new listing.

Saddlebunch Key is an island located about fifteen minute drive from Key West. This home is located near the end of Bay Drive which is a peninsula on the island. I counted about 236 homes using a Google aerial view. Frequent Keys visitors will recognize Baby's Coffee as the nearby landmark. There is a nearby park behind Baby's Coffee with tennis court, volleyball area, and children's playground and picnic tables. This is a water-oriented island community located near Key West. There are several gas and convenience stores as well as restaurants and bars between Saddlebunch and Key West. But it remains a place where you make plans for the day or week ahead before you go grocery shopping. The big nightlife remains in Key West, but few places in Key West offer an owner to go out to the water and use a tickle stick to grab dinner.

This 2392 square foot water front home was built in 1995 and sits on an 8625 square foot lot. All of the main living areas except one guest bedroom face the water each of which have great to spectacular water views. The home is contemporary in design and should appeal to folks who love both bold and beautiful spaces as well as tiny nooks.

I was genuinely awed by the two story open atrium like room with provides great wall space for hanging art as well as adding a lot of drama to the interior. The kitchen and dining area are on this level as are a butler's pantry and a guest bath (both on the rear side. The cook will never feel alone or deprived in this home which as propane gas cook-top, an outdoor grill on a separate rear balcony, and water views in multiple areas. One guest bedroom faces the water and the other faces the back side of the bay. Each bedroom has a small balcony extending out over the house. Nobody is closed-in inside this home.

The master bedroom takes up the entire third level of the home. There is a sweet little sun filled nook  side which would be the perfect place to read a good book. Or you might venture out to the private deck to get a natural tan.

There are covered outdoor seating and dining areas on the main living level and pool level.  This home would be perfect for the couple who love to entertain. The entire lot is fully landscaped with native  vegetation and is also lighted in the evening. The vegetation extends out beyond the pool and provides a buffer from public view from passing watercraft. And even though there is one house nearby, the pool view master bedroom terrace are out of view. Unlike many of the homes on Bay Drive, this home has no neighbor across a canal or body of water. This is private living. And sunny skies. And really clean air. And a tickle stick!

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 97 Bay Drive, Saddlebunch Key Florida offered for sale at $1,375,000. Then 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'm gonna ask you to sit in that chair, feel the sun on your face, and imagine what your life would be like if you were to live here. If you really like the place we will go back at night, hopefully on a big moon night, where we can watch the moon shine down on the vast body of water. There is nothing like a warm Florida evening with the moon lighting the water.

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