901 Washington Street, Key West - Stunning Casa Marina Area Makeover

Just Listed by Preferred Properties (but not by me), 901 Washington Street, Key West. Unlike the Cute Conch Cottages, the Elegant Eyebrow Houses, and the Grand Conch Houses that are rooted in the late Nineteenth Century neighborhoods of Old Town Key West,  this recently renovated mid-century home is emblematic of the new wave of architecture and design taking root in the Casa Marina Area in the 21st Century.

Loyal Readers of my blog (Thank You, All!) know that I live in the Casa Marina area of Key West.  I love the area and have never regretted leaving Old Town nineteen years ago to move to the Casa Marina.  For many years I would ride my bike past 901 Washington Street on my may to the Club Body Tech when it was located at Duval Square. I remember thinking to myself how out-of-place the house looked amid all the other lushly landscaped homes in the area. I dug into the old shoebox and found a photo of 901 Washington Street as it appeared in 1965 (black and white photo above). The old chain link fence and stark landscaping (or lack of any landscaping) contrasted with swaying palms and lush tropical foliage that envelopes the south end of the Island of Key West. Then around 2003 a new owner began remodeling the house that was originally built in 1958.

The original house was a two story stucco over concrete block construction. The house sat on a mostly empty lot surrounded by a galvanized chain link fence. There was a grass lawn, a cactus, some bushes, and a large satellite TV antenna.. The house and lot was blah. I don't want to offend anybodies relative who may have lived there. But it was. The new owner revamped the entire house on the inside and outside. A pool and garden were added.  A privacy wall was built. Peering eyes like mine were no longer able to see inside the yard. That would have been the end of the story on most properties were an expensive renovation was done, but that was not the case here.

The owner who did the 2003 renovation moved a few blocks away to a different home in the Casa Marina area.  The current owners of 901 Washington Street recently completed an amazing two part transformation of  the already beautiful home. The newest version of residence is stunning in its simplicity of design. Designer David Smith transformed the house into a work of art. The transformation included the addition of a room over the previously existing first floor front room which extended out from the body of the main house. This new space became a part of the new master suite. Windows in the original first floor front room were removed to create a new semi-enclosed informal outdoor living area. A new dining pavilion was added adjacent to the kitchen on the west side of the house.  All of the windows were removed and replaced with new high-end impact windows and doors that are trimmed in black. The windows became "more than windows" - they became "picture frames" that focused attention on the beautiful exterior views.

Egyptian limestone pavers were added as walkways throughout the garden. Front porch furniture by Dedon.

Two first floor folding doors by Eurowall open out to the pool and east gardens. New porcelain tile floors were added throughout most of the house and extend out to the pool area to provide a seamless transition from inside to outside and vice versa. The kitchen counter top was replaced with an amazing slab of agate. Since the building was constructed of concrete, the designer created a network of wires from which lights were suspended to illuminate the revamped living room.  The dining room chandelier was custom made in New York City by Lindsay Adelman. Light became art. Windows became picture frames. Floors and walls became a showcase on which to display important pieces of furniture and ob-jets d'art..

The stairway to the second floor and  hallway morphed into a museum-like space for the display of art. The porcelain tiled floors, black framed impact glass windows, drop ceiling, and pin-point light fixtures blend together to create a subtle showcase that lures you to the second floor to see what more wonderful sights surely would be located there.

The front half of the second floor is the master suite. You enter into a private sitting room that is complete with a morning kitchen.  The walk-in closet has lots of built-in drawers and racks. The tray ceiling, coved lighting, and natural toned walls and porcelain floors set the stage for entry into the bedroom chamber. All rugs are silk from Rug Company. The sectional is by Roche Bobois

The master bed was designed by Minotti. The bed sits in front of an incredible wall tile that was finished in place. The wall looks like ripples of sand turned on its side. It begs to be touched to see what it might be.  Bartel sliding doors in the master bedroom are made of macassar wood. The bathroom rivals a spa at some exotic resort.

Two guest bedrooms are located on the north side of the second floor. The east bedroom has a picture perfect view of the poolside sculpture created by Debra Yates. The private bath has one of those amazing picture frame views of the outdoors where nature seems to become art in this house.

The west bedroom has a rooftop sundeck where you can watch sunset far from the madding crowds of Mallory Square. The floors in this guest bedrooms are acacia wood.

There is a fourth bedroom complete with en-suite bath on the main floor that is located just off the living room. The current owners use this space as an office.

The transformation of the gardens and grounds was just completed under the direction of landscape architect Craig Reynolds. The combination CBS and louvered wood fence was set on its ear and given a dramatic new flare. The main entry became a statement of arrival at some place important. The former gardens were removed and replaced with new plantings. A Zen garden with reflecting pool provide a restful view while sitting in the covered outdoor living room or when dining in the pavilion. The two poolside diases on either end of the pool and fountain were revamped with new palms and exterior lighting.  CLICK HERE to view more photos of this stunning Casa Marina home.

901 Washington Street is offered at $2,875,000. Furnishings are negotiable.  If you are looking to buy a home in the Casa Marina area or any place else in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642  or by email at kw1101v@aol.com to schedule a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1213 Margaret Street - Old Town - Key West

The new listing at 1213 Margaret Street may look like a typical Key West renovation on the outside, but it is anything but typical on the inside. I dug into the old shoebox and found a photo taken of the house about fifty years ago. I doubt it got much better looking than that over the years. That is until the most thorough renovation of this absolutely charming home.  I took some photos to help illustrate the near ten years of work that resulted in what I will simply call a labor of love. The changes are amazing.

The above photo shows the Cuban Tile floor which can be seen in many old Key West homes that have not been all gentrified. This house retained the imprint of the family that lived in this house years ago. Underneath the new Hardiboard siding is all new 1/2 plywood sheathing and insulation, and Tyvek wrap that protest the house from the elements and makes it more economical to maintain.

The entry hall runs from the front of the house to mid point where the great room is located. You will  note the ceiling in the entry hall has a mini-vault between the side wall and the bedroom walls which are now clad with Dade County Pine reclaimed from a home previously owned by Hollywood actress Kelly McGillis and her husband. (That house was located on White Street near Truman Avenue.) There is a new roof over tongue and groove Dade County Pine decking. The bamboo floors were reclaimed from an NBA arena. They are remarkable in quality and hue.  Underneath the pretty floors you will find new piers, floor joints, and pressure treated framing. Electric, plumbing, and A/C have been replaced. Notice the addition of creative lighting throughout the house as well as ceiling fans.   A new "chase" runs through the interior bedroom walls to the great room which provides a conduit to add whatever electronic gizmos some toddler today may design tomorrow.

The front bedroom would probably be used as the master suite. The space is quite large. The vaulted ceiling certainly adds to the spacious feel, but the room actually is quite large. There is a walk-in cedar lined closet that even has some nifty built-ins. The bathroom is both spacious and bright. The windows above the mirror provide lots of free daytime illumination without having any peering eyes looking into the space.

The guest bedroom is as wide as but not as long as the master suite. The space is quite interesting in its own right. There is a "nautical" built-in ladder that leads to an upper level roost where the current owner has placed a desk. If I were a kid I'd love this space. But I'm not. So one trip was enough .If you have children on grand kids, they will love this room. It will give them years of memories. The laundry closet is located in the hallway under a portion of the roost. The bathroom takes up the remaining space. The bathroom vanities were handcrafted. Your friends and neighbors can't go to The Home Depot to buy one like it because these are one of a kind creations.

The great room offers abundant living space. If this is to be a vacation home, there is plenty of room for sitting and relaxing while your mate makes dinner and your in-laws eat your food and drink your booze. They will be impressed with the hand-made kitchen cabinets made from teak and an exotic wood called Woman's Tongue. Each beam in the great room ceiling has over eight pieces of teak wood.  CLICK HERE to view more photos of this home.

The listing Realtor says there is room for a pool at the rear of the house. The south side yard may be wide enough to permit a small backhoe entry to dig out a pool. The back porch is covered and provides an inviting place to dine or watch whatever happens in the spa at the rear.  The back door is wind impact resistant glass. All other windows have Dade County approved shutters which will make this home more affordable to insure.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for 1213 Margaret Street which is offered at $969,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule an appointment to see this charmer. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

634 Louisa Street #5, Key West - An Affordable Home at Last!

Locals and maybe even buyers who are looking for an affordable retirement home in Key West ought to consider looking at 634 Louisa Street #5.  This is a two story town home built in 2007 with lots of money saving construction features that will save a potential new home owner money year after year.

Loyal readers know my penchant for searching through the old shoe box to find photos of old homes. Well, I found one for this property - sort of. The black and white photo was taken of 634 Louisa Street back in 1965.  It looks to me like the property in existence then had been converted to some sort of commercial use.  The black and white aerial photo taken in the 1920s shows the approximate location of the Louisa Street property back then. Note the old water tank located between Catherine and Louisa Streets. Most of that entire block is now the Suburban Propane property. And the half block just east of 634 Louisa Street is a trailer park today.  Times change and buildings and uses change. For now the propane facility and trailer park are the neighbors. This helps explain the affordable price on this very nice newer construction.

The listing Realtor describes 634 Louisa Street this way:

"Two bedroom one and half bath townhome located two blocks from Duval Street on quiet street. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, high efficiency washer and dryer. Located on X zone (no flood insurance necessary). Small HOA of only 5 units with very low association fees. 2007 construction."

634 Louisa Street is a 756 sq ft town home. As the owner you would be responsible for all insurance and maintenance on your home. This home was built with Hardiboard Siding. The windows are all wind impact resistant glass. That means your long term maintenance costs will be less as Hardoard holds up to our intense sun and water better than wood siding.  The impact windows qualify the home for substantial windstorm mitigation credits.  Flood insurance is not required. Homeowner insurance is just $461, and windstorm insurance is only $768.

 CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule your private showing of this affordable Key West home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.