South Side Flats loft in old school has parking spot and $219,000 price tag
Five years ago, Vincent Rossi was looking on Zillow for a loft that would fit his single lifestyle. He found one in an old elementary school at 171 S. 15th St. in the South Side Flats.
His one-bedroom, one-bath condominium in the former St. Adalbert School has views of Downtown, the Liberty Bridge and the landscape below. It also has the Holy Grail for South Siders: an assigned parking space.
Now Mr. Rossi is married and needs a house with a yard for his new dog. So he has put Unit 301 on the market for $219,000 with Lynne Bingham of Howard Hanna Real Estate (412-855-9154 or www. Howardhanna.com). It is open by appointment in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.
“It’s been good, the best of both worlds,” Mr. Rossi said. “I was happy to find it and live there for so long.”
The three-story school was built in 1898 in Romanesque Revival style with tall, arched windows and lots of stone details. Mr. Rossi’s third-floor unit boasts a trio of arched windows, 18-foot ceilings, original oak floors and almost 1,100 square feet of living space. Track lighting illuminates its high ceilings and dramatic angles.
The wide open living area houses a pool table and a large dining table with room for up to 10 people. The lounge area beneath the arched windows has a very large sectional and matching chaise.
The U-shaped kitchen is tucked under the second-floor bedroom and has only base cabinets for a roomy feel. Stainless-steel appliances including a gas cooktop, undercounter range and dishwasher and both a mini-refrigerator and a full-sized French-door LG refrigerator. A washer and dryer pull out from beneath counter tops.
The 19-by-12-foot master bedroom has a large closet and sconce lighting. The bathroom has a stainless-steel counter top, a sculpted porcelain bowl and brushed-nickel fixtures.
There is a secure bike room for storage and an assigned parking space in the rear. The homeowners association fee is $263 per month and covers parking, maintenance of the common areas, water, sewage and trash. The owner pays for electric, gas and cable. Residents can have pets. Annual taxes are $3,400.
The condo’s assessment is $150,700. Over the past three years, only one other unit has sold in the building, for $199,000 in June 2019 (www2.alleghenycounty.us/RealEstate/GeneralInfo.aspx?).
South Side Flats is known for its restaurants, bars and shops, and it’s close to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and other bike trails along the Monongahela River. Mr. Rossi said he will miss this unit’s “convenience factor.”
“You walk out of your door and go to anything you want. It’s just an easy place to get around,” he said.