Each side of restored Manchester duplex priced at $250,000
Turning 1403-1405 Pennsylvania Ave. into an updated North Side duplex was “a grizzly bear of a project,” says general contractor Eric Roberson of HNMS Inc.
Visitors who tour the Manchester property can see that Mr. Roberson, a tall former Marine who led a crew of a dozen workers, not only poked the bear but prevailed.
Each half of the three-story duplex offers three bedrooms, 2½ baths and nearly 1,800 square feet of living space. In the back is a gravel parking area that could accommodate two vehicles. The asking price for each is $250,000.
Purchasers must meet income requirements. A single person can earn no more than $63,840 a year, a couple no more than $72,960 and a family of four no more than $91,200. For information, contact David
Farkas at 412-471-5808 ext. 516 or david@phlf.org.
The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation bought the property in 2017. Its 18-month restoration is one example of the nonprofit’s efforts to preserve historic properties while creating affordable housing, said spokesman Karamagi Rujumba.
Founded in 1964, PHLF focused its earliest efforts on Manchester’s mostly brick and stone houses built between 1860 and 1900. The ones that remain on Pennsylvania Avenue contrast starkly with houses built in 1978 during Mayor Richard Caliguiri’s administration.
A 1970 study by the foundation of Manchester’s architecturally significant buildings described the duplex as “a double house with a gable having a bracketed cornice, ornamental window and a portal.” But it was in very poor condition when work started.
“The brick was falling apart,” said Ryan England, a civil engineer who worked closely with Mr. Roberson on this and a dozen other projects. He and architect Milton Ogot both work for citySTUDIO.
The lower half of the back wall at 1405 Pennsylvania Ave. had to be braced with steel beams before masons could remove original bricks by hand, Mr. England said. Bricks were stored, cleaned and reused after concrete masonry units were installed.
Each side of the duplex has a front porch, oak floors, 10-foot ceilings, a powder room and a large, eat-in kitchen with quartz-topped counters, an island, stainless-steel appliances and a spacious pantry. Veronica England, the engineer’s
wife, chose the paint colors: Silver Sage by Restoration Hardware, Silver Drop by Behr and Swan White by Glidden. She also hand-lettered the addresses on new transom windows over the front doors. Each side has 21 new windows.
Upstairs, a front bedroom overlooks the street and the master suite is in the rear. The master bath features double sinks, a subway tilelined shower and bath and striated ceramic tile flooring. A second-floor laundry is in a large closet. The third floor could be used as an office, play room or bedroom.
Each half of the duplex has new utilities, wiring, a full basement and central air-conditioning.
“We dug up the whole backyard to put in new plumbing, “Mr. Roberson said.
The minority contractor said he is grateful to PHLF for giving HNMS Inc. the chance to work on such a challenging project. Although some of the duplex’s decorative exterior trim remained, much of it had to be replaced. Allegheny Restoration in Morgantown, W.Va., created the new wooden surround for the front door at 1405 Pennsylvania Ave.
Previous owners had added back porches that did not match the home’s architectural character so those structures were removed. A side entrance for the right side also was demolished. Fireplaces that were not functional were removed.