1019 Simonton Street, Key West - The Southernmost Cabana Resort

The last time I wrote about Bert, pictured above, he was searching for his pal Ernie at the old Key West Trailer Court located at 1015 Simonton Street. This site is located near St. Mary's Basilica. The church and the adjacent neighborhood have grown and changed over the decades, but the highly desired Old Town location has remained constant. I dug down in my old shoe box and found an aerial photo that dates back almost one hundred years which shows the area as it then existed.

The white arrow indicates the site before a few cottages were torn down and replaced with trailers. The entire block from Virginia Street to the south and Truman Avenue to the north later became trailer lots with the exception of the corner of Truman which became the site of the original Duffy's Restaurant. About twenty years ago the northern trailer park was torn down and replaced with what is now Windward Park town homes. Duffy's and Pisces restaurants, small condo compound,  and a local real estate lawyer occupy the corner location.

The Key West Trailer Court was a bit of a Key West institution for years. It provided affordable housing for locals. I am sure there will be someone who reads today's blog who will bemoan the passing of this affordable living space and someone else who will lament the loss of the canopy trees that dotted this part of the island. I have been taking progress photos of the development site since ground was broken, the trees removed and other site work began. Interested readers may CLICK HERE to see progress photos. I will provide a sampling just below.

The old Key West Trailer Court is gone.  Bert and Ernie would not recognize the transformation into what is now known as the Southernmost Cabana Resort. The most recent evolution of this part of Old Town is nearly complete. Twenty-one new two story homes now occupy the same coveted location near Duval Street and within easy walking distance to South Beach. The listing Realtor describes this nearly finished project this way:

"Treat yourself to something special... a brand new home in Old Town Key West! This intimate 21 home enclave in the heart of the island is an opportunity not to be missed. Homes will range from 2 to 3 bedrooms, 1200 to 1500 square feet, all will feature high end finishing, impact glass & low maintenance fees. The homes will exceed building code requirements so owners can enjoy lower then average insurance and utility costs. The grounds include a community pool and each unit has parking. Only steps to the sights and amenities of Duval St. Get one before they are gone!"

The aerial perspective above shows the layout of this new development. The community pool is located to the far east side which abuts the gym at St. Mary's. All of the homes have either front or rear access onto the pathway that leads to the pool and the covered parking. Some homes have off street parking adjacent to the home. The development is being densely landscaped. I know from personal experience how quickly trees and foliage grow in our climate. This place is going to be a tropical paradise in a matter of months. It already looks great.

The homes vary in size between 1200 to 1500 sq ft and are configured as two or three bedrooms. All homes have a full first floor bath which provides a full guest bath in the event an owner wants to provide additional sleeping on the sofa. A buyer of mine has one of these units under contract and ready to close in the next few weeks. I think this is a terrific project for owners who want a place they can occasionally rent as a vacation rental and still have a place they can stay and enjoy.  You cannot ask for a better location. The fact that they units are located in the X Zone for Flood Insurance purpose and have impact windows, Hardiboard siding, and new metal roofs mean the wind and fire insurances will be much lower than an old stick built house in Old Town. Serious buyers need to take a serious look at these new homes. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 1019 Simonton Street #103, Key West which is offered for sale at $934,600. Remember other units are priced as low as $759,375. Please contact 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.

628 Frances Street, Key West - Sweet Eyebrow Cottage

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West 628 Frances Street. This is a really sweet miniature eyebrow cottage complete with a white picket fence and garden. Some of the prettiest, and a couple of the most expensive, homes in town are located on this block which is within easy walking distance to the Historic Key West Seaport, Duval Street, and Sunset Celebration.

Before starting today's blog I checked the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned that this home first appeared on the the 1899 map. (This entire block was omitted from the 1889 map which does not infer the houses were not built then.) I learned the house was previously numbered 626 Frances Street but appeared as 628 Frances St. on the map which suggests to me the house was around much earlier than 1899. I then got out my shoe box and found a photo of this property taken fifty years ago. If you compare it with the color photo above you will note several structural changes including replacement of the windows and door, addition of shutters,  replacement of porch columns and addition of railing, and the replacement of the picket fence with a minor increase in height. What has not changed is the salt box shape of this small house turned on its side. The eyebrow house though not unique to Key West is rare - especially in this smaller size. There are approximately 75 of these special houses on our island. At first glance you will note the individual metal roof shingles as they rise to the gable. Then you will may notice the sawtooth addition at the rear. If you stand at the front gate you will see the house has five bays - two windows down and three windows hidden below the steep sloping roof line which creates the extended porch. These upper windows were designed to permit the windows to be open to provide ventilation even during a rain storm.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Wonderfully maintained cottage in an absolutely superb location in Old Town. Move in ready with some nice upgrades; granite counters in kitchen, Pergo flooring on first floor, recently installed central A/C and washer and dryer. Some Dade county pine and great front porch. A well kept side yard and fencing all around. Move in now or renovate to your taste."

I had the opportunity to see the property late Friday afternoon - in the rain. I only had my Nikon pocket camera so the picture quality is not as good as I would like, but the photos I took are representative of what this home has to offer. When I stepped inside the front door the very first thing I noticed was the staircase in the left corner. The dark wood contrasted to the new blond Pergo floors. Then I noticed the compact size of the living room. I have been in many small homes before so I knew this place would not be large. The walls have wallpaper which tends to visually shrink the size of the room to the mind's eye. I am not being critical - just making an observation.

According to the listing Realtor this house has 1017 sq ft of living space which includes two bedrooms and one and one-half baths. The main floor bedroom is located just off the front entrance. A set of petite French doors provide entry to this space. You should notice that there is no closet in this bedroom. An armoire provides a place to hang one's clothes.

The second bedroom is located on the second floor. This room measures 24' X 18' from eave to eave - but not interior living space. The ceiling drops down to knee walls which provide a vertical space for placement of furniture. It appears to me that the wall unit air conditioner visible in the photo below is located in a space which most likely was a scuttle when this home was first built. A scuttle is an opening in the roof which allows hot air to rise through the house to the outdoors.

This is not the first time I have seen a toilet and sink in a place like this. A friend of mine who is a local designer totally changed a similar space and put in a real bath.

In his description of this property the listing Realtor said the house is move-in ready but opined a new owner might want to renovate. I am not being critical of this home which I think is really cute. I think it could be better. I think the Pergo floors ought to go away as should the wall paper. The enclosed porch on the side ought to be more fully integrated into the kitchen.The kitchen could be upgraded and reconfigured to provide more storage and utility. This might be accomplished by removing the half wall that separates the kitchen and dining area and creating a small island with a new quartz dining extension. The opening between living area and rear sawtooth addition might be expanded if a steel beam could be added to support the weight of the second floor. Finally, I'd try to enclose the second floor bath or remove it entirely and add a real closet in its place.

This house could work as a full time residence for a single person or couple who are minimalists. There just is not a lot storage space in this house so whoever lives here full time will need to be well organized. CLICK HERE to view more photos.

If renovated correctly, I think this place could look absolutely magical. I think it would definitely work as a monthly vacation rental. I think a lot of people revel in small and charming spaces. This is already cute. I think it could become even better. There is a large side yard that might provide enough space to add a swimming pool. Our Historic Architectural Review Commission and the City Planning Department would have to approve the addition of a pool to the lot. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 628 Frances Street which is offered for sale at $899,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this lovely eyebrow cottage. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

521 Grinnell Street, Key West - Prime Old Town Location

  The listing broker describes 521 Grinnell Street in Key West this way:

"Just Listed in Old Town Key West! This grand corner property offers over 2000 sq. ft. of living space plus over-sized deck and balconies for entertaining. The main level has a den with classic Dade County Pine walls, spacious light-filled living and dining areas that open to front deck and the cocktail pool. The kitchen has ample cabinet space, double ovens, stainless refrigerator, and a breakfast nook. There is a full bath and bedroom on main level. Upper level offers two separate master suites. This home features hardwood floors, Mexican tile, cathedral ceilings, storage space, stained glass, central AC, and off street parking. This home in is the perfect location near fine dining, Duval Street, and the historic Seaport."

521 Grinnell Street is actually one of the very first homes I got to watch being rebuilt and expanded right after I moved to Key West. In 1993 a friend of mine bought 521 Grinnell Street and the adjacent vacant lot. The original main house and extension visible in the top black and white photo was totally remodeled. A new two story addition was added to the vacant lot which is partially visible in the black and white photo immediately above. 

 The main house is an iconic Key West Grand Conch complete with first and second floor porches that overlook historic Grinnell Street. The house is located next to Lowes Lane, a small lane that dead ends about two hundred feet or so to the east. Several small cottages are located on this lane that is among the loveliest in Old Town.

When you enter the front door you are immediately transported back to an earlier day when homes were built to last a very long time by tradesmen and craftsmen who loved their work and not by corporations that bang-out new houses like autos on an assembly line. That is why old houses like this have lasted all these years. I check the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned that it first appeared in the 1889 map. That means it exist by that date or earlier. The doorway into the main floor study is a bit larger than a typical doorway of that era which leads me to believe my friend modernized this space a bit.

The listing broker gave me permission to use his photos for today's blog. The room above is located to the rear of the front study. If you look carefully, you will see that the walls in this room, like most in the original house, are Dade County Pine.  A door opens from this ground floor bedroom directly into the adjacent bath which is also used as the guest bath, but which is accessed by a different door off the dining room.

The living room is located in what I referred to above as the extension of the main house. French doors at the front open out to the deck in front that spans the extension between the main house and the 1994 two story addition.  The ceiling was vaulted to give the area an expansive feeling. The space is bathed in in light. Even though the original house is now at least 116 years old, the home has a contemporary feel and flow. If you buy this home, you won't feel like you are living in a museum. The dining room is located on the ground floor of the 1994 addition. Another set of French doors at the rear open out to the cocktail pool at the rear. The first time I had dinner in the then brand newly remodeled and expanded home I asked my friend why he had not built a pool. He answered he owned several gay guest houses and could use any of those pools anytime. I sold a nearby home on Lowes Lane to a couple who live very far away. When they come to town they head to Dante's at the Historic Seaport where tourists and locals can hangout by that giant pool all day and simply buy a hamburger and a coke.

French doors at the end of the kitchen open out to the rear deck and pool. There's plenty of room to sit and watch the grand kids splash in the pool or to sit and smooch with your feet dangling in the water while sipping the bubbly. The kitchen is a part of the 1994 addition to the old house. It has a clean and contemporary look but does not have the same boxy cabinets evident is so many modern places. You can dismiss the tiles as passe, but they work here.

The second floor of the 1994 house is devoted to the guest bedroom, closet, private bath, and covered front porch. What a neat place for couples who no longer sleep in the same bedroom or the teenager who wants his or her own place but still needs to live at home. This is a big comfortable space.

The master bedroom and bath pictured above are located on the second floor of the main house. It, too, has a private covered porch that overlooks Grinnell Street. In May and June the Royal Poinciana trees in front of 521 Grinnell are ablaze in millions of little red flowers. The sight is amazing. During the rest of the year you can sit up on either porch and watch the world pass by your house. You will undoubtedly overhear tourists talking about how wonderful it would be to live in one of these grand Key West houses. Everybody dreams about it. A lucky few do it. 

This home would make a wonderful Key West vacation home. A new homeowner could enliven the space with new furnishings to show off the wonderful historic architecture and modern addition. The location is a short stroll to Duval Street and the Historic Seaport. Five Brothers Deli is half a block away at the corner of Southard Street. Most of the gyms and yoga studios are within easy walking distance from this location. 

 CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and all listing photos on 521 Grinnell Street which is offered for sale at $1,250,000 or $604 per sq ft for this 2069 sq ft home located on one of the best blocks in Old Town. This is a terrific location and a wonderful house complete with garage entered off Loews Lane. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing.