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.
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