412 Grinnell Street, Key West - Historic Eyebrow House Now Offered For Sale

Just Listed 412 Grinnell Street in Key West. I fell in love with this house the first time I stepped inside nearly two decades ago. I believe this was the first eyebrow house I got to see from the inside. The house was deliciously enchanting. That owner (Richard Sheldon) had renovated the  original house, built a new living room and kitchen addition, and added a pool. The home has changed ownership three times since then. The current owners purchased the house through me in 2012 and undertook a thorough renovation and small expansion of the property for which they were awarded the 2015 Historic Florida Keys Ceramic Star for excellence for preservation, restoration, rehabilitation and new construction. Now 412 Grinnell Street is offered for sale. The current owners feel the need to be near their toddler granddaughter and her soon to be sibling and for this reason this home is now offered for sale. 

Eyebrow houses are particularly unique to Key West. They are two story homes which vary in height, width, and size. These houses get the name "eyebrow" because the second floor windows are sheltered by the front roof eave which extends out over the house and supported by columns or posts.  Before electric fans and later air conditioning, shade and natural air flow cooled homes. The windows of an eyebrow house can be left open during rain storms which allows air to flow to cool the rooms.  412 Grinnell Street is one of the larger such homes on the island.

This home was built in the 1880s. It looks so cute and sweet from the outside. Then when you step inside you know the place is going to be even better than you imagined. Your eyes are immediately drawn past the entry hall and through the living room out to the pool. And what pool it is - a 30' X 10' pool and  a 6' X 6' spa. The rear side has a tall privacy fence with native trees and tropical foliage that has grown to adult height.  Later you will learn there are no neighbors to the immediate rear which is Fletchers Lane - a walking lane accessed off Eaton Street, about 100 feet to the north.

The owners did a bundle of projects during the renovation including replacing the metal roof; replacing piers where required; and installing heart pine floors (aged 200 to 500 years) which look absolutely perfect. All floors on both levels are flat and flawless. All of the HVAC is new.  The owner updated all of the interior spaces, renovated all bathrooms, added wind impact resistant windows and doors where permissible. Every town has a go-to local custom cabinet maker. Hansen & Bringle is that company in Key West. They installed new custom cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms and wainscoting in living and dining rooms.

The kitchen, while relatively recently new, was still renovated. An all too large bank of windows was removed and replaced with a single new window which permitted the installation of upper cabinets. The laundry closet became a pantry and the washer and dryer were placed under the kitchen peninsula. New SubZero, Wolf, and Miele appliances were added as were new granite counter-tops. One of the best features is the kitchen door which opens out to a little porch where there is an herb garden. The porch leads down to the brick paved driveway with electrically opening gate.

The owners took down the original guest cottage and built an entirely new 23' X 12' guest house. It is located in a separate building just off the covered rear deck. That deck will probably be the most used space in the house besides the bedroom. The guest cottage has a cathedral ceiling punctuated by a round impact glass window near the top of the gable, natural travertine marble floors, and a wet bar with under counter refrigerator. It has a full bath. This cottage and bath mean the entire home has four or five bedrooms (explained below) each with bath. The owner thinks the guest cottage could be used as a master suite.

The guest cottage is located next to the pool which has a gate that opens out to Fletchers Lane. Guests can return from a night out in Key West without disturbing the folks in the main house. The newly resurfaced and revamped pool includes a salt water filtration system, LED light show, and remote control programing. Travertine marble coping surrounds the pool and spa. All new Azec decks were installed including the covered rear lanai. The gardens were replanted with native foliage. The owners added an irrigation system to supplement Mother Nature.

Depending on your need, the main house has either four bedrooms and four baths or three bedrooms and a study.  The study or fourth bedroom is located at the right front of the home. It has two stained glass doors and panels. Everybody who sees it goes "Ooh and Aah". This space would inspire any would-be writer, artist, or thinker of great thoughts, or a grandmother who knits booties (do they still do that?) or a grandfather who smokes a pipe (do they still do that, either?). The room has a half bath that is illuminated by a Swarovski  crystal chandelier. The owners had a new stained glass window made with the house numerals which was place in the transom over the front door. The ceramic star is placed above the transom. Passersby at night admire the colors emanating from this room.

The owners use the main floor bedroom as their master. It is located at the front of the house opposite the study/bedroom. About half of the main floor Dade County Pine walls are natural and the remaining walls are painted. The master bedroom has Dade Pine and has a fairly good sized en-suite bath with large shower complete a marine porthole where you can look out to see tropical foliage and that can be opened for ventilation. I guarantee you will have a smile on your face every day if you use this shower and that's not a bad way to start your day any day.

There are two more bedrooms on the second floor. Notice the windows near floor level and look out to the street. You will then understand the eyebrow concept. The heart pine floors are gorgeous. Each bedroom has a brand new en-suite bath with shower. The rooms are not big, nor are they small. They are how people lived one hundred twenty five years ago except these rooms are air conditioned, have electricity, and have bathrooms.

CLICK HERE for a 3D Tour of the Main House and CLICK HERE for a 3D Tour of the Guest Cottage.

The owner traced the history of this home back to the beginning of the island. Every detail of  this old house has been committed to writing and detailed so that future generations may share in the history of this home. I think any potential buyer will appreciate the care that has been given not only to the preservation of the structure but also of the history of the house which the owners call "La Casa Ceja", The Eyebrow House. CLICK HERE to view an album of photos of this beautiful Old Town treasure that has been carefully and thoughtfully restored and made better than ever before. You won't have to do a thing except enjoy your home and make reservations for dinner.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 412 Grinnell Street offered at $1,999,000. The please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am the listing agent on this very special property. You won't find anything comparable at this price. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

715 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida _ First Time on the Market in Decades

Just listed 715 Fleming Street in Key West which is located opposite the Monroe County Library. When the listing agent asked me to take some photos of the house, I gladly agreed. I immediately went to my old shoebox and found the black and white photo below taken in 1965. That photo shows the house when louvered shutters enclosed the front porch of the CBS house built in 1948. I searched for earlier photos reckoning there must have been a wood frame house on the lot prior to 1948, but I could not find one.The original house was atypical for this block which has several larger multi-million dollar homes and other wood frame homes in the low one million dollar range. Later wood clapboard siding was added to the the front to make the actual CBS house blend in with the surrounding homes.

I spoke to the owner who has lived in the house since he purchased it in 1989. He said he removed one of the original interior walls to create a larger living room. French doors were added on the west and north sides of the house allowing free flowing air to pass through the home. I was just awed by the simplicity of the house and how open and charming it was. Let me share some photos I took.

If you look back at the black and white photo you will understand how the current day house evolved. The porch was totally enclosed except for two windows on either side of the front recessed entry. The west side became the kitchen. A window brings in filtered sunshine that shines through into the living room. The east front became one of the bathrooms. It is quite large and also has a window which allows light to pass into the adjacent bedroom. The doorway with sidelight panel was recessed to an entry hall where the mirror amplifies the natural light and visually enlarges the space.

The size and volume of the living room was totally unexpected. An original interior wall was removed to create the vaulted ceiling. French doors were added on the west and north walls which allows light and air to flow through the interior. The earlier renovation added a bathroom adjacent to the front bedroom on the east side. That room also has French doors which added light into that space. I did not take any interior photos of the rear bedroom, however I did photograph the French doors from the rear deck which give that room abundant light.

The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows the house as having 1137 sq ft of air conditioned interior living space plus a 10' X 11' air conditioned storage building located at the north rear of lot. The lot measures 50.25' X 64'. There is a wood deck that wraps the west and rear of the lot. The east side is fence enclosed area that is not utilized at present. The impervious space is quite large which makes me believe there may be room for a pool.  The front yard is under utilized. I an envision a total transformation that would not cost all that much to do. CLICK HERE to view more photos of this property.

715 Fleming Street is located a short two and one-half block walk to Duval Street and two blocks to the Historic Seaport. While the house does not have parking, I have found that I can normally find a parking spot on that block. This is partly because the library takes up so much of the block and it has its own parking lot. The larger houses have their own off street parking which lessens the demand for on street parking in general.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. This house will sell fast. It is priced to sell at $849,000.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This place is perfect for the buyer who wants a great Old Town home in a good location but who doesn't want to spend a million dollars to buy it.

62 Front Street, Key West - Commanding Truman Annex Property

The 600 block of Fleming Street in Key West during the 1920s

Front Street in the Truman Annex, Key West in the 2010s

The two photos above show how much Key West has changed in the past 100 years and how much things remain the same. Last week I wrote a blog about the big house at 923 Fleming Street where I remarked about notation on an early Sanborn Fire Map that Fleming Street was bricked. That remark was noteworthy because many streets back then were dirt. Bricked streets signified that the houses belonged to the wealthy. Followers of my blog know that the houses on Fleming Street today are still among the most expensive in Key West. The color photo above shows Front Street in the Truman Annex addition to Key West which was developed in the early 1990s. Most of single family homes located on Front and Emma Streets are owned by the wealthy as well.

The new listing at 62 Front Street, Key West is a modern day Eyebrow House with widow's walk.. This 2486 sq ft home was built in 1998 and varies greatly from the historic eyebrow houses built more than a century earlier in that the living spaces on the main floor wide and open and the bedrooms on the second floor are quite large as compared to the bedrooms found in historic homes. The house has a commanding presence on this street on this street of fancy homes. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"Located in the Key West Truman Annex is a very prominent Eyebrow home,custom built in 1998 for the President of the company that developed the Truman Annex. A large front porch allows you to enjoy the beautiful manicured landscaping of the Truman Annex. Opening the front door to this 4 bedroom 3 bath home, you are mesmerized by the size of the open floor plan and soaring ceiling heights and light. The Kitchen has custom cabinetry with granite counter tops with access to the outside living and pool area. On the main level is a full bath and bedroom adjacent to the living room with French Doors leading to the covered deck and pool. A custom staircase leads to 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with oversize closets. Another highlight is 2 covered Parking spaces. Transient License."

Two sets of French doors with clerestory windows above open out to the covered deck pool beyond which are two separate carports

For some reason that I do not fully understand, a lot of potential buyers want to buy a house that they may rent for income when they are not using it. I understand the idea and have written about the ability to do it. What I don't really understand is why someone who can afford a house as expensive as this would want to rent it. But if you do, you may, as this house has a valuable Truman Annex Transient Rental License which permits an owner to rent the property for 25 weeks each year plus as many 30 day months as one wants. Remember this house has four bedrooms and three baths, a sunny pool, off street parking, as is within easy walking distance to Ft Zachary Taylor Beach and the dining and entertainment on nearby Duval Streets. Renters will love it!

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos on 62 Front Street, Key West which is offered for sale at $3,570,000. 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.