Emsworth Victorian exudes original charm
When Cheryl Thomas walked in the door at 258 Allegheny Ave. in Emsworth, she says she knew.
“The minute that my ex-husband and I walked in with one child, 2 years old, and oneon the way, we knew it was the house for us.”
Now, 38 years later, lots of stairs and an empty nest have convinced her and husband, Jerry, that it is time to sell. The home has been placed on the market for $237,000 (MLS No. 1287334) with Betsy Wotherspoon of Berkshire Hathaway, The Preferred Realty (412-367-8000 or www.thepreferredrealty.com).
Outside, the 1925 Victorian has been updated with light-gray vinyl siding and jet-black trim. The front porch stretches the entire 25-foot width of the home and is shaded from the main road by several Japanese maples.
The front door still has the original millwork and wears a coat of high-gloss black paint. It is the perfect frame for the original leaded glass windows and transom of the three-panel entry. The leaded transoms are repeated several places throughout the home.
Inside, the generous entry features a paneled wall staircase and, at the first landing, a custom stained--
glass window.
“My ex-husband put that in around 30 years ago,” she says. “He went to a home in Bellevue and saw it. He had the window copied and made from that home.”
The beautiful entry opens to the 13-by-12-feet living room. A wall of built-ins is nestled beautifully beside the decorative fireplace. That room opens to the 15-by-13feet dining room. Both rooms have 10-feet-high ceilings and extensive original wood trim. A bump-out in the dining room has a seat in front of three paneled windows. There is a built-in china cabinet with leaded glass doors. Both rooms have the original tile hearth, as well as carpeting, which she says was a purposeful choice.
“I had children and didn’t want them crawling around on bare floors.”
There is hardwood flooring in the attic, and on the first and second floor, the original schoolroom-style tiles. “We had them tested and they are linoleum, not asbestos. We have a certificate to attest to that.”
The 12-by-11-feet kitchen is original and has had very little updating, another purposeful choice.
The double-sink basin is cast iron with a built-in drainboard. It is set in vintage metal cabinetry. There is also an original curved bulkhead. When replacing cabinetry, the owners kept it intact and only refaced the top cabinets.
Several years ago, the original blueprints for the home arrived unexpectedly.
“They just showed up in the mail one day,” she says. The son of the man who built the house had found the blueprints with his father’s belongings and mailed them to the address, thinking the current owner would enjoy them.
A second set of steps from the kitchen goes to the second floor. Up there, four bedrooms begin with the 15-by11-feet master. It has a large bow window and vintage overhead light, creamy white walls and neutral carpeting. The other three bedrooms range in size from 13by-10- to 11-by-10-feet. They all have large windows and lots of light.
The full bath features the original cast-iron tub, pedestal sink and linoleum tile. The bathroom has a doublepane leaded-glass window. There is a full shower in the basement with a Pittsburgh potty.
The third floor is a 27-by15-feet room with a double closet.
“Initially,” she explains, “we used the third floor for a family room. It had a pool table. As each child came — one, two, three, four — we ended up moving up there for our bedroom.”
There is a large back porch that was put on several years ago. The covered space has an outdoor light, a fan and a great view of the expanded back yard.
“Originally, in the plans, there was a back porch,” she says.“There was a window in the dining room I had made into a door. We put a glass transom.My friend made it.”
She purchased an additional half acre, which actually is in neighboring in Kilbuck Township. “I purchased it to protect myself because I am a tree-hugger.” Both deeds are included in the asking price.
There is a large driveway beside the house and the woods and plenty of off-street parking. Mechanical updates include windows, vinyl siding, gutters, soffit, fascia, attic insulation and boiler.
The Allegheny County appraised value of the property is $122,800 (http://www2.county.allegheny.Search.aspx). There have been no recorded sales, according to realstats.net.
“I love this house,” says Ms. Thomas. “You can see the city from the top of this hill. Every night when I went up the landing, I would stop and look out the window to themoon and the city.”