BARCLAY ESTATE
Greensburg mansion took 22 years to restore, priced at $645,000
When Jim and Susan Antoniono were house hunting in 1998, they searched for a home to fit their blended family of seven. fell in love the with TBahrecylay mansion in Greensburg but it was hardly turnkey.
“We had to tour it during the day because all of the electric was turned off,” Mrs. Antoniono said.
The 10,000-square-foot home was designed by Alden and Harlow and built in 1904 on a 1½acre lot at 320 W. Pittsburgh St. The owners were attorney John Barclay (1862-1931) and his wife, Rebecca Coulter (18721937). The property passed on to banker Thomas Barclay Jr. and was sold upon the death of his wife Josephine in 1987.
The Antonionos got married in the house and hosted a reception for 70 guests there. They spent the past 22 years restoring the mansion and did much of the work themselves. Now they’ve listed the property for $645,000 (MLS No. 1413396) with Scott
Ludwick of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (www. thepreferredrealty.com or 724433-7800). It is open by appointment in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.
The original home had a porte cochere on the right side with the same grand white columns that support the front porch, which spans the width of the house. The grounds are manicured and there are beds for flowers and vegetables. There are eight off-street parking spaces and a governor’s driveway.
Inside, the 10-by-20-foot center hall has a crystal chandelier and one of several original oak floors. At the end of the hall is a grand staircase and an elevator that services all three levels of the home. On the right is a parlor that was one of the last rooms to be restored.
“It was the worst room in the house,” said Mrs. Antoniono. “When Mr. Barclay was infirm, he would park himself in that room. They hollowed out the fireplace and built a coal burner. When they left, they removed the coal burner and left a gaping hole in the wall covered in
plastic.”
The room was kept closed for years, until she decided to take a look one night.
“I peeled off the plastic and I was black as soot. The wood was terrible. I called a company to remove the coal soot. They thought that would take two days and it took almost two weeks,” she said.
Today, the charming room is a family favorite, with built-in bookshelves and paneling. Mrs. Antoniono painted the chair rail and crown molding apple red and the hole in the wall is now filled with a grand wood-burning fireplace, one of 10 in the home.
The 23-by-17-foot formal dining room has a Thibaut floral wallcovering above wainscoting. The large room is lit by brass wall sconces.
The kitchen had a professional remodel and features white cabinets, gray counter tops and a convection oven. A large pot rack and gas cooktop anchor the island. A servants call panel remains and there is a breakfast area near a window wall. A small desk and another fireplace round out the space.
The butler’s pantry is a chef’s dream. The original wood counters and cabinets were refinished when Mrs. Antoniono came home every day for a month during her lunch break to strip the counters. There is a copper sink and an old safe that would have stored silver. Gray tiles were removed to expose the oak floors.
Other spaces on the first floor include an 18-by-18-foot family room, an office and a spectacular sunroom painted yellow and white.
“I had an image of what I wanted out there,” Mrs. Antoniono said. “The floor used to be black and there was a big ping pong table out there.”
There is a covered back porch that offers lovely views of the grounds.
A stunning staircase leads to the second floor, which has four bedrooms and three full bathrooms. At the end of the hall is a charming library and office that features floor-to-ceiling bookcases and a window seat.
“I put a little seat down low. The kids like to look at books. Now my grandchildren like to sit there and read,” Mrs. Antoniono said.
The 24-by-16-foot master bedroom has original hardwood floors. A captive room used to be a sewing room but could be converted into a master closet.
She designed the new master bath after a pipe burst. “There was a big marble shower in there and it broke. It was raining in the kitchen.”
It features separate dual vanities, Carrara marble tops and Thibaut wallcoverings. The couple opted to go without a tub and installed a no-threshold shower with glass enclosure.
Three other bedrooms on that level range from 14 by 19 feet to 15 by 17 feet. All three have fireplaces.
Upstairs, the third level of the home has a full bath and three large bedrooms that didn’t start out that way.
“It was a basketball court,” Mrs. Antoniono said. “The markings are still on the floor.”
A new roof was installed in 2005. The house is in the Greensburg-Salem School District, and yearly taxes are estimated at $8,200.
The family has used the home for large functions and fundraisers, including a sit -down luncheon for 80. All of the children and grandchildren have their favorite rooms and can’t wait to come home to them.
“I have good memories here,” Mrs. Antoniono said. “I would wish for a family to live here and raise their kids and have them be happy here like our kids were.”