Super spread

Lynn Swann's house is quite a catch

Lynn Swann was known for being one step ahead of defensive backs and just about everyone else.

So when the Steelers Hall of Famer decided to build a house in 1991, he called upon an architect better known for his work on the Carnegie Science Center and Pittsburgh International Airport.

“I built with Tasso Katselas. He studied with Frank Lloyd Wright and brought those ideas and concepts of making the home blend into the geography of the lot,” he said.

The result is a five-bedroom, seven-bath ranch-style home on 5.2 acres in Sewickley Heights. It has many Wright-like design details, including a Spanish quarry tile kitchen floor, interior colors from the Taliesin West palette and lots of stonework.

Now, after 42 years of calling Pittsburgh home, Mr. Swann is heading back to his alma mater for a dream job — athletic director for the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Charena, have put 181 Merriman Road on the market for $2.25 million (MLS No. 1226640) with Betty Moraca of Howard Hanna Real Estate (412-741-2200, ext. 222, or www.howardhanna.com). It is open by appointment.

At the end of a long driveway, visitors find a low-slung modern home that tucks 6,700 square feet of living space beneath a series of flat and shallow hipped roofs. Mr. Swann took an active role in the design, which features stone paths, low retaining walls and lots of hand-laid stone.

“I wanted it to have a natural stone look relative to the character and feel of area it was built in,” he said.

A long breezeway flanked by modern columns leads to the front door, where three types of stone on the walkway, retaining wall and home itself add an extra layer of texture and color. An outdoor porch is hidden behind mature shrubs and trees.

Walls of windows naturally illuminate and connect outdoor and indoor living spaces. The 12by-10-foot entry features soft gold walls and heavy paneled doors. Warm hardwood floors begin here and extend throughout the home. In the living room, a wood-burning stone fireplace repeats the exterior stonework. Recessed lights and warm woods outline the space, and a small staircase leads to the library.

There, 13-foot ceilings easily accommodate a large oak media center. By another set of stairs, a wall of glass-block windows in a stair-step pattern let in light

Mark Holewinski Lynn and Charena Swann’s home at dusk. It was designed by architect Tasso Katselas.

Ted Storey photos A stone fireplace provides warmth while a wall of windows provides nature's artwork in the living room.

An outdoor room with seating and low stone walls is perfect for entertaining large groups.