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NEWHOME Winter 2013

DOWNTOWN LIVING

EXPANDING RESIDENTIAL PRODUCTS

Pittsburgh’s Senior Living Scene Green Building River Vue

An Attractive Downtown Living Option

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2 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

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Contents

Winter 2013

20

Downtown Pittsburgh

Green Homes Leaders in green building are pushing new edges of the envelope.

Working, living and playing in our Golden Triangle is more fun than ever... It’s pretty cool to live Downtown!

06 Senior Living

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Ranked one of the “Best Cities for Successful Aging”, Pittsburgh is known for its senior friendly attributes.

Project Profile Millcraft Investments’ River Vue. Helping to provide a new generation of Pittsburghers with urban living options.

14 05

Publisher’s Message

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New Construction Listings Greater Pittsburgh’s new housing developments. www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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Chapel Hill Estates

Lake MacLeod

• Brand New Neighborhood located in Marshall Township, just North of Bradford Woods • 20 Lots Available in Prestigious North Allegheny School District • Wooded 1/2 Acre to 3/4 Acre Lots • Convenient to Wexford and Cranberry; 20 Minutes to Downtown Pittsburgh • Packages Range From $800 to $1.5 Million

• Phase III Packages Starting at $1 Million • Large 1+ Acre wooded Lots • Hiking trails and walking paths • Over 50 Acres of open space and a 10 Acre lake with Private Boathouse

Langdon Farms

• Exclusive Builder on remaining 22 lots in neighborhood; Only 12 Lots Remain

CHAPEL HILL ESTATES SPEC AvAILABLE FOR $919,900

• Minimum 1 Acre Lots • Walking Distance to Pine-Richland School Campus • Packages Start at $650

CHAPEL HILL ESTATES POTENTIAL PACkAgE $999,900

To schedule a personal home building consultation with a professional at Barrington Homes, call 412-655-8999 or visit us online at www.BarringtonHomesPA.com

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Publisher’s Message

PUBLISHER

Kevin J. Gordon kgordon@carsonpublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGN

Jaimee D. Greenawalt PRODUCTION

Carson Publishing, Inc. design@carsonpublishing.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jeff Burd Erin O’Donnell Linda Simon CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jan Pakler Photography Carson Publishing, Inc. Millcraft Investments River Vue Apartments Heartland Homes ADVERTISING SALES

Kevin J. Gordon 412-548-3823 X202 kgordon@carsonpublishing.com SPECIAL THANKS

Lucas Piatt and Millcraft Investments, Harry and Elaine Edelman, Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Dollar Bank, Heartland Homes, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Northwood Realty, Ryan Homes and Prudential Preferred Realty.

MORE INFORMATION

Greater Pittsburgh’s NEW HOME is published quarterly by Carson Publishing, Inc., 500 McKnight Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15237; www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com 412-548-3823 No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission by the Publisher. All rights reserved.

This information is carefully gathered and compiled in such a manner as to ensure maximum accuracy. We cannot, and do not, guarantee either the correctness of all information furnished nor the complete absence of errors and omissions. Hence, responsibility for same neither can be, nor is, assumed.

D

owntown Pittsburgh is a city that means something different for every generation. A mere decade ago, the majority of the Golden Triangle became a ghost town past 5:00 p.m.

Today, real estate and corporate visionaries are helping to restore Downtown to its past glory, even managing to surpass its vibrant history and provide a new generation of Pittsburghers with commodious urban living. PNC Financial Services and UPMC, both headquartered Downtown, have been hiring new employees and relocating others to the home office. Many of these entry level professionals have found that living and playing just a few blocks from work is too hard to pass up!

As spring 2013 approaches, it’s pretty cool to live Downtown Pittsburgh! As Pittsburgh emerges from this recession even healthier than it was before the downturn, working, living and playing Downtown is more fun than ever. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, either. The rental industry is strong, offering business owners and employees many options to find peace without having to get a tank of gas to do so.

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com ABOUT THE COVER:

Lucas Piatt, COO of Millcraft Investments is a strong proponent of Downtown Pittsburgh’s housing market. His latest city living project is River Vue, a 218-unit upscale apartment building located at the tip of Point State Park.

Meet Lucas Piatt from Millcraft Investments, an enthusiastic proponent of urban living in general but especially sold on the continued upside of Downtown Pittsburgh’s housing market. It’s clear from talking to Piatt that his focus will continue to be on the Golden Triangle.

This edition of NEW HOME also examines Pittsburgh’s active senior living landscape. Not surprisingly, many seniors are opting to remain in Pittsburgh because of our many senior-friendly attributes. Read why it’s no small wonder why Pittsburgh’s appeal is growing in the eyes of savvy seniors.

Always remember, before you buy, build or remodel, Greater Pittsburgh’s NEW HOME is a must read. Enjoy!

Kevin J. Gordon

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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F E AT U R E

Lucas Piatt from Millcraft Industries at his new apartment development, River Vue in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Living Do 6 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

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F E AT U R E

In

the world of fashion, there is the adage that what was once old will become new again.

While that truism doesn’t often apply to the housing market – no avocado or harvest gold appliances again, please – there is a bit of ‘what comes around, goes around’ in the current hot trend of living in Downtown Pittsburgh.

owntown Visitors to Downtown on an average weekday evening will be excused if they think they’ve arrived on a Saturday night instead. The Golden Triangle’s restaurants and bars are hopping virtually every night of the week, twelve months a year. Cultural attractions see growing audiences and the pace of development of both housing and cool places to play is ramping up. For a

few main reasons, residential properties in the center of the city are enjoying another Renaissance of sorts, the second such surge in the last decade.

More than the sheer growth of places to hang your hat at the end of the day, the expansion of the type of residential products in Downtown has created opportunity for a much broader spectrum of people.

Unlike ten years ago, Downtown Pittsburgh is accessible to people just entering the working world and their impact on the quality of life has been immediate and obvious.

As Pittsburgh emerges from the Great Recession even healthier than it was before the downturn, working, living and playing in the Golden Triangle is more fun than ever. www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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F E AT U R E

Place added 230 units for sale to the neighborhood and another 350 units for rental at The Encore on 7th and the Cork Factory Lofts. There were a number of smaller projects throughout the center city and the population Downtown more than doubled during the decade to 5,100 residents.

The Otto Milk Lofts before...

Getting Hot Again As spring 2013 approaches, it’s pretty cool to live Downtown. That hasn’t always been the prevailing sentiment, however.

Compared to most major Northeastern or Midwestern cities, Pittsburgh has always had a very small number of center city residents. Until the past decade, development Downtown was a chicken-or-egg kind of problem: was there really no demand to live Downtown, or was there no one living Downtown because there weren’t available properties?

After the Cultural District was created and the seedier vestiges of the old Penn/Liberty nightlife were replaced by theaters and galleries, there was a bit of a breakthrough in new housing Downtown. During the 1990’s there were a half-dozen or so older buildings converted into lofts that were gobbled up quickly. These developments were proof of concept that Pittsburghers were interested in living Downtown but the new housing units added only about 100 new residents. At the beginning of the economic boom of 2003-2008, several developers decided to roll the dice on what they perceived to be a growing demand.

Within a few years, condos at 151 First Side, the Carlyle, 3 PNC Place and Piatt 8 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

One of the misconceptions that existed about Downtown living in Pittsburgh was that there needed to be attractions for young people, since that demographic group was thought to be who lived in urban settings. It turns out that the opposite was true.

Research by CEO’s for Cities showed that the largest demographic group living in downtowns in mid-sized older cities was empty-nesters, people over the age of 55. That age group has the disposable income and equity, as well as the desire to downsize and simplify their lifestyle. Not coincidentally, that demographic also makes up the largest share of the audiences for cultural events. For Downtown Pittsburgh, the boom from 2004 to 2008 was the result of a perfect match between lifestyle and demographics.

Harry and Elaine Edelman fit the mold of the typical buyer in Downtown at the time. Both were raised in the suburbs and raised their children in Hampton Township, owning a home on a large, wooded lot. After their children were all out of the house, the Edelman’s decided to look at a different lifestyle.

“Elaine claims that it took her ten years to convince me to think about living Downtown, but it wasn’t that difficult,” jokes Harry. “We’re empty nesters so we figured we could enjoy the culture of town but also enjoy nature. I get to enjoy the outdoors without having to maintain it.”

The Edelman’s were attracted to a project that suited their love of interesting architecture, buying a two-level condominium in the tower section of the Otto Milk Lofts on Smallman Street. Harry says they were

| Winter 2013

curious about the old building and about the lifestyle that would result from living at the edge of Downtown and the Strip District, midway between the Cultural District and the hot new night scene in Lawrenceville. Two years after moving in they aren’t disappointed.

The Edelman’s are part of a trend that is pushing Downtown up river. The long-term goal of the Allegheny Riverfront Vision Plan is to fill in new neighborhoods among the many former industrial sites along the Allegheny River, bringing thousands more residents. Developer Buncher Company has advanced a plan to build roughly 750 apartments in buildings behind the Terminal Buildings in the Strip, boosting the fringe of Downtown over the next few years.

Restaurateurs and shop owners appear to be already ahead of the curve in that part of Pittsburgh. The 20 or 30 blocks that lie between the Strip District and the heart of Lawrenceville are quickly evolving into Pittsburgh’s entertainment district. The region’s burgeoning foodie culture has settled into Lawrenceville as one of its centers. Where ‘shot and a beer’ bars once dotted the corners, organic markets now propagate. Some of the hippest restaurants – like Piccolo Forno, Cure and Tmari – have flourished in Lawrenceville. And the night life is vibrant as well. Bars with craft beers and whiskeys do a brisk business on week nights and the weekends are hopping. It’s a little like South Side, but without the drunks and the mess. There’s even a distillery, Wigle Whiskey, one of the city’s most popular new attractions.

Experts had predicted that the location of the new Children’s Hospital along Penn Avenue at 43rd Street would spur a boom in the Lawrenceville/Bloomfield area but as yet there hasn’t been a land or property rush in the neighborhood. The reasonably close proximity of the new and old hospital has made relocation of employees unnecessary and real estate hasn’t become unreasonable. What the hospital has been is a source for customers in the neighborhood and with Downtown spreading eastward, the climate is good for the development of the lifestyle amenities that are thriving now.

The Otto Milk Lofts are an adaptive re-use of an old factory with units for sale.

The project was begun before the mortgage criThe Otto Milk Lofts after renovation with sis cooled off interest and residents Elaine and Harry Edelman. loans for condos. During the recession, condo became a In part, the night scene has benefitted from four-letter word again and one of the first of the new wave of apartapartments became the hottest property ment projects in this current residential to develop. As the product mix shifted renaissance. Developer Millcraft Indusin the housing market, some interesting tries – which had earlier re-purposed the developments in the regional employLazarus Building into Piatt Place – took on ment market aligned the stars for another the challenge of renovating the former G. Downtown housing surge, this one driven C. Murphy’s and six surrounding buildings by apartments. Developers also learned on Fifth Avenue into the Market Square that there were some new demographics to Place, a 46-unit apartment complex with consider.

25,000 square feet of retail space and a new Downtown YMCA. Even in tough economic times there are usually winners, companies that were In addition to bringing almost 100 new positioned properly and took advantage residents right to Market Square, the of the opportunities as their competitors building attracted a variety of restaurants, struggled. In Pittsburgh, the two bigincluding Valozzi’s, DiBella’s Subs, Chipogest winners have been PNC Financial tle Mexican Grill, Bluebird Kitchen and Services and UPMC, both headquartered Noodles & Company. This infusion of new in Downtown. Both have been hiring new retailers, combined with the new look and employees and relocating others to the feel of the Square itself, created a critical home office. Many of these are entry level mass that made Market Square one of the professionals who found that living and hot addresses for restaurants and clubs playing just a few blocks from work was again. too tempting to pass up.

At the same time that the number of young professionals working in Downtown grew, a major renovation of Market Square was undertaken. The result is a beautiful new public space that is home to a bustling public market and a completely revitalized night scene.

The majority of the apartments in Market Square Place was of modest size and rented for $700 per month. Millcraft’s president, Lucas Piatt says that their project was built upon the assumption that there was a significant group of renters out there who wanted to live Downtown but who had been kept out by the preponder-

“Elaine claims that it took her ten years to convince me to think about living Downtown, but it wasn’t that difficult,” jokes Harry.

“We’re empty nesters so we figured we could enjoy the culture of town but also enjoy nature. I get to enjoy the outdoors without having to maintain it.”

F E AT U R E

“We have a bicycle garage and take rides through all the parks and trails along the riverfronts,” Edelman explains. “We’re healthy and want to enjoy all the life that we can without the hassles.

Living in town cut my commute out to the airport in half. I reverse commute and drive up Green Tree hill at 50 miles per hour every morning while the traffic backs up going into town. I get 45 minutes to an hour of my life back every day.”

ance of condos or the higher rents that existed. By the time Millcraft was ready to start leasing Market Square Place, the firm had 600 prospective tenants. It was clear that Piatt was right and that a younger crowd of residents was anxious to move in to Downtown.

Other projects developed that were also aimed at the younger – or at least less affluent – resident. Trek Development renovated the former Century Building on Seventh Street near the O’Reilly Theater into 60 apartments renting from $500 to $1,475 per month. Developer Todd Palcic re-purposed three smaller buildings into for sale units that were priced primarily between $200,000 and $300,000.

By 2012, Downtown Pittsburgh was home to a much broader spectrum of residents.

The neighborhood was home to a more diverse group in terms of age, income, race and gender. That’s an attractive picture for retailers, restaurateurs and entertainers.

At year’s end the population in Downtown www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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F E AT U R E had risen sharply again to approximately 8,000. The first years of the decade had set the stage for more new places to live and put Pittsburgh on the radar for investors from around the world.

Rent or Own? It’s Your Choice.

The fact that the number of people living Downtown has quadrupled since 2000 should dispel any doubts about whether or

10 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

not Pittsburgh is the right market for that kind of urban lifestyle. The range of living styles has been broadened as the demographics have become broader. An easing of the mortgage credit concerns has also broadened the options for the Downtown residential product. Apartments may still be the flavor of the month but the pendulum is beginning to shift back towards condominiums again, as interest rates remain at record low levels and confidence in the Downtown Pittsburgh market values grows. For those looking at Downtown living options it’s good to know that both renting and owning make sense.

| Winter 2013

Renting is more attractive for the younger dweller that may not have built a big savings account nor developed a clear idea of what style of living he or she wants. The flexibility of renting is ultimately safer to many who aren’t certain of what life in the business district will be like.

At the same time, there are a couple of compelling reasons to own. Mortgage qualification has shifted back towards historical norms and Downtown condos – at least in Pittsburgh – aren’t seen as inherently risky investments. At the same time, there is a powerful incentive for ownership in Downtown that any prospective resident should consider.

After the collapse of the steel industry, city and county administrations tried for two decades to stimulate redevelopment in Downtown, mostly by trying to attract lifestyle amenity developments that might attract full-time residents. Most of those projects fizzled out before they got underway, and those that were built – remember Lazarus or Lord & Taylor? – did not succeed.

What the local government did do to attract more residents was create abatement on taxes, making Downtown competitive with other regional neighborhoods.

Pittsburgh allows buyers of downtown property to receive tax credits of up to $2,700 for city property taxes, and up to $3,480 for Pittsburgh school taxes, for ten years. On a condo with a $300,000 assessed value, this abatement reduces the annual property taxes from $8,823 to $2,643 for the first ten years. In addition, Allegheny County enacted the Act 42 program, allowing the same owners to abate the county’s share of property taxes on up to $86,750 of assessed value on new homes or $36,009 for improvements to existing homes, for three years. The net result of these tax abatement programs is that a prospective downtown dweller can look at getting between $600 and $700 a month reduction in property taxes.

For someone convinced that the urban lifestyle is for him, that abatement is something of a siren’s song leading to Downtown. It can also be the deciding factor between renting and owning. That was the case for Harry Edelman.

“We talked about renting for a year or two while we figured out what living Downtown was going to be like,” Edelman says. “I’m a numbers guy. I wanted to see the equity. If anything pushed me over the edge to buying it was the tax abatement.”

For the near term, however, the availability of new units for sale will be limited compared to apartments. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership maintains a database of residential units in the Golden Triangle and what it considers Greater Downtown, which includes the North Shore and the Strip.

Currently, condos make up about onethird the existing stock of 1,148 units in the Golden Triangle. Of the more than 1,000 units in the pipeline, less than 10 percent are for sale.

That’s not necessarily good news for prospective Downtown residents who wish to own their home but given the dynamics of the housing market since

2008 these figures are hardly a surprise. What might be a surprise to many Pittsburghers is that the pipeline of projects included more than 2,000 new units, or almost 50 percent of the total number of residential units that exist today. Clearly, the curtain is still going up on the Downtown lifestyle.

The Next Wave The new residential projects that are coming online or are in the pipeline are generally larger projects. Many of these are being developed on an aggressive schedule and several involve the renovation of landmark Downtown office buildings. There is another common thread linking most of the new projects: the developers are not from Pittsburgh.

PMC Property Group is a Philadelphiabased apartment developer and manager that only entered the Pittsburgh market in 2010, but has made quite a splash in a short period of time.

PMC first entered the picture Downtown by acquiring the former Bell Atlantic offices at 201 Stanwix Street. That property became available for lease in the middle of last year and was fully leased by the time the last apartment came on the market. The company has since bought the Penn Garrison Apartments and is undertaking a 33 unit expansion.

Those successes have more than whetted PMC’s appetite for the Pittsburgh market, which it feels is undervalued.

In recent months, PMC has purchased 200 Ross Street with plans to create 100 apartments; the James Reed Building, which it plans to re-purpose into 195 units; and the Regional Enterprise Tower (better known as the former ALCOA headquarters), which it has begun construction on 241 apartments.

Another investor in Pittsburgh from outside the region is McCaffrey Interests, which has been a partner in development with Chuck Hammel, owner of Pitt-Ohio Express. That team was successful in the massive renovation of the Armstrong Cork Factory into lofts more than a decade ago. Based in Chicago, McCaffrey Interests kept Pittsburgh in its sights since then and recently completed the construction of a new project

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12 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

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F E AT U R E

called Lot 24. Built across from the Cork Factory Lofts, Lot 24 is a 96-unit apartment that is modern, energy-efficient and leasing up quickly.

“We’re very happy to be in Pittsburgh. We had a great experience with the Cork Factory and again with Lot 24,” says McCaffrey executive Peter Lillis. “Our relationship with Pittsburgh is somewhat unique because the Cork Factory is unique.

In no other city did we have the opportunity to work on a building that old and big and beautiful.”

The Cork Factory was a project that a number of developers tried unsuccessfully to accomplish.

The McCaffrey/Hammel team not only pulled off the $75 million restoration but the property remains popular and completely leased, with a waiting list. Lillis says that Lot 24 has been equally satisfying and successful. “Lot 24 opened in December and was already over 60 percent leased,” he says.

Of course, the out-of-town developer who may have made the biggest impact of Downtown housing isn’t really from out of town. Millcraft Industries has its roots in the steel business in Washington, PA and founder Jack Piatt was one of the visionary first developers of Southpointe. Millcraft turned its attention to Downtown by taking on the challenge of redeveloping the failed Lazarus store into a mixed use building with the Capital Grille on the ground floor and 63 condos at the top of the building. Almost as that project was getting underway, Millcraft announced its plans to double down on its bets on Downtown Pittsburgh, bringing a vision to the Fifth/Forbes corridor that has transformed those main streets as much as PNC’s new offices have.

In addition to the Market Square Place, which remains fully leased, Millcraft is beginning the construction of its Gardens project, a $70 million office/hotel/retail development just east of Market Square

on Forbes Avenue. While The Gardens was to be the coda in its trilogy of Downtown projects, the success of their work and their own attraction to urban development lead them to take a shot at what became their largest residential project, the River Vue (see page 26).

After deciding not to bid aggressively on the building, which had formerly been the State Office Building, Millcraft decided to take a second shot at the project when no successful bidder emerged. Over the past year, the company has been investing $45 million to create 218 apartments at the entrance to Downtown. Most of the units have views of The Point or the rivers and all have large windows that make up most of the exterior wall of the apartments.

River Vue is already 70 percent leased, even though the last of the units are still being completed.

While the Gardens project will certainly occupy Millcraft’s attention in 2013, the company has already taken aim at its next endeavor. In October 2012, the Urban Redevelopment Authority selected the partnership of Millcraft Industries and McKnight Realty Partners as developers of the former Saks Fifth Avenue store site on Smithfield Street. When completed, the new project will be a mixed-use de-

velopment similar to Piatt Place and will include 100 apartments.

Lucas Piatt is an enthusiastic proponent of urban living in general but is especially sold on the continued upside of the Downtown Pittsburgh housing market.

It’s clear from talking to Piatt that his leadership of Millcraft Industries will be focused on the Golden Triangle.

“We felt strongly that urban residential living was becoming more attractive not just regionally but nationally. We thought that we can easily tap into a good percentage of the 130,000 people that work Downtown every day,” explains Piatt. “The average American’s free time is becoming less and less and people’s commutes are getting simply too long.

This fact makes Downtown living a nobrainer for many people and a pretty easy sell.” NH

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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14 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

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Pittsburgh’s Active Senior Living Scene

Has Much to Offer

I

t’s not your father’s (or mother’s) retirement any longer. Everywhere, forward-thinking boomers are weighing options and making plans for their next phase of life, and not least among those considerations are their living arrangements. Not surprisingly, many seniors are opting to remain in Pittsburgh or its surrounds, while others look toward the region as a potential retirement destination.

Why? To start, Pittsburgh, voted the most livable city by Forbes Magazine, 2012, is known for its “senior-friendly” attributes. With high quality, world renown medical care; public transportation; easy accessibility to businesses and shopping; abundant recreational and cultural venues;

sports events; educational opportunities, and so much more to suit a wide array of tastes, it’s no small wonder that Pittsburgh’s appeal is growing in the eyes of savvy seniors.

According to CityRetirement.com, Pittsburgh also offers a range of housing options for those 55 years and older that includes condominiums, rental apartments, hi-rises, retirement communities, lofts, co-ops, luxury condos, top end townhouses and more.

Of equal importance, Pennsylvania has gained a reputation as one of the “most generous states in the nation when it comes to offering income tax exclusion on a wide variety of retirement income” as reported by Kiplinger magazine, September, 2012.

They note further that the Keystone State does not tax Social Security benefits or any type of public or private pensions, 401(k), IRA and deferred compensation plan distributions or other retirement accounts. Other financial perks may include rebates of paid property tax or rent for those 65 and older, and widows/widowers age 50 and older. Most recently, the Milken Institute, a non-profit, nonpartisan think tank, ranked Pittsburgh in the top 10 large metro areas as one of its “Best Cities for Successful Aging,” after examining 78 factors that most affect senior’s quality of life including housing and safe, affordable and connected communities for seniors.

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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For active seniors 55+, Western Pennsylvania provides varied options such as active communities with single-family homes; garden homes; patio homes, and apartments in a wealth of settings. One such option is “Traditions of America at Liberty Hills”, an active 55+ community just north of Pittsburgh. As the first to break ground for this type of quality lifestyle community, an initial 224 home sites were built in 2007, with only eight lots and six model home sites remaining and plans for another active senior community in the queue. “We are pursuing plans to develop a new active senior community in Sewickley and are currently in the approval process,” explained Nathan Jameson, director of operations and partner, Traditions of America. “We have set the bar high based on our success at Liberty Hills. We are looking at new floor plan designs and amenities based on evolving customer preferences.” “The number one reason we have sold so many so quickly in Liberty Hills is the sense of community there,” explained David Biddison, director of operations. “Residents have a tremendous amount of activities including social, education and fitness - a whole host of things along with neighbors to enjoy and be active with if desired, serving as an added plus. But, the 8,000 square foot clubhouse, featuring a heated pool, billiard room, great room, card room, bar, sauna, fitness center, locker rooms, catering kitchen and more, is truly the centerpiece of the community, a place where residents can gather. Outside, there are tennis courts, hiking and biking trails and a community garden.” Similarly attractive is the fact that residents are not bogged down with exterior maintenance of

their property; leaving them time to do the things they want to do. Biddison further elaborated that the close proximity to retail locations for shopping and dining, along with favorable taxes in the township, make for an ideal situation.

Single family homes in Liberty Hills start in the mid-$200,000 range with attached garden homes somewhat lower. Sizes are flexible but vary with the buyer; the smallest offering, 1,250 square feet of living with the average size at 2,300 square feet. Offering 13 base floor plans is just the beginning at Traditions of America. Home customization reigns supreme with this company, with each home customizable both inside and out. Tim McCarthy, managing partner, noted that customer satisfaction is key for Traditions of America. “We allow the customer to fully customize the home. We maintain a full time designer in the community to help and advise customers with anything from moving rooms and walls to designing kitchens and bathrooms to finishes, colors and exterior elevations. We want this to be the best home and we don’t want to limit the customer. In short, we want to build high quality communities with high customer satisfaction.” Traditions also seeks to use the best architects and designers in the country, and, as a measure of their success, have garnered awards such as the 2011 Best Retirement Community for Liberty Hills two years running and the Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award 2012 for the Best 50+ Housing Single Family Attached Home under $250,000, to name a few.

The Villages at St. Barnabas, Western Pennsylvania’s first retirement community featuring five apartment levels for independent living in Gibsonia 16 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

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Also north of Pittsburgh lies the St. Barnabas Communities consisting of four retirement living styles suited to various tastes and desires – The Villages at St. Barnabas, Western Pennsylvania’s first retirement community featuring five apartment levels for independent living in Gibsonia; The Woodlands at St. Barnabas designed for younger retirees located in the quiet surrounds of Valencia; The Washington Place at St. Barnabas, featuring quaint apartments for those needing some assistance, and the newest addition – White Tail Ridge in Gibsonia, featuring contemporary homes for independent seniors. While all boast a maintenance free lifestyle and desirable amenities, each features its own unique twist on easy living. The Village at St. Barnabas offers one, two and three bedroom, luxurious condos for independent retirees or those seniors wishing to downsize. Within The Village lies “The Mall,” an indoor stretch of conveniences housing four options for dining, a library, beauty salon, billiards, an exercise facility, a bank, a Post Office, convenience store and more while outdoor activities include bocce, a putting green and driving range, walking trails and areas to host parties and gatherings. The Woodlands at St. Barnabas, located in scenic Valencia, offers younger retirees a community of carriage homes with a variety of floor plans with one, two or three bedrooms, ample storage, attached garage, patios and spacious living.

As with all St. Barnabas active senior living sites, residents have access to the St. Barnabas Health System services should they need them, as well as housekeeping services and extensive recreational opportunities.

Other amenities at The Woodlands consist of country club-like dining, billiard room, a wine club, and the Kean Theatre, home to free movies, shows and concerts showcasing acts such as The Vogues, Beatlemania, and a talent contest open to the public, which serves as a fundraiser to support patient care throughout the St. Barnabas Health System. “We have been fortunate to have a good friend in Jackie Evancho who has performed in the Kean Theatre in the past,” noted Shelli Sommariva, marketing and communication manager for St. Barnabas.

“We look forward to her performing here again in 2013.” According to Sommariva, a notable feature on The Woodlands campus is the Crystal Conservatory, a striking two-story glass structure that houses an indoor swimming pool, recreational activities, a cabana, a “Cruise Deck” outdoor

The Crystal Conservancy at the Woodlands of St. Barnabas, Valencia.

patio, and a “Tower Conservatory” available for parties and receptions.

For those needing some assistance from time to time, the Washington Place at St. Barnabas, located in Gibsonia, may be the answer. Apartments with a snuggly, home-like feel, the Washington Place offers “hostesses” for those who may need help with getting some things accomplished or who may need a meal brought to them … “someone available if folks need them” explained Sommariva.

The latest addition to the St. Barnabas family is White Tail Ridge acquired in 2010, also in Gibsonia. To date, this campus is multigenerational with plans to evolve into a retirement community in the near future. Here, contemporary-style townhomes and carriage homes offer a variety of floor plans ranging from two-bedroom/one and a half bathrooms to five bedrooms and baths all with the same care and quality that has made St. Barnabas a success for retired living.

Healthy seniors living well is more than just a concept. It is a proven reality that embodies independence, convenience, security and peace of mind captured in the UPMC independent living facilities located throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. “UPMC Senior Communities independent living locations strive to provide seniors with an environment that promotes as much independence as possible,” noted Nanci L. Case, vice president, Sales, Marketing and Activities, UPMC Senior Communities. “By providing a lovely, safe home that also offers endless opportunities through social, physical, educational and spiritual activities, seniors are able to continue living an active lifestyle.” From Monroeville to Scott Township, Allison Park to Strabane, the independent living communities enjoy commonalities that make life simple – paid utilities and cable; dependable, daily van transportation to shopping and appointments; restaurant-style, chef prepared meals daily; on-site beauty salon and barber shop, and facility managers on location 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist residents with any need that may arise. “The UPMC Senior Communities independent living locations offer a variety of activities that address those social, physical, educational and spiritual needs of the seniors who live there,” Case continued. “One example is the Legacy Theatre at Cumberland Woods Village. Also open to seniors living in the surrounding areas, the Legacy Theatre offers free movies and educational seminars covering a variety of topics. Additionally, wonderful entertainment and live theatre productions are offered.” Among their independent living communities:

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“I feel like I have the freedom to make this place my home.”

-Ed Bires, retired postmaster

“

“

I’ve been so happy since I came here.

I wouldn’t change a thing.

-Dorothy York, retired flower show judge

“There’s so much going on here.

It’s easy to stay busy.”

-Marie Divis, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother

UPMC Senior Communities offers dynamic and affordable retirement living with a focus on improving and enriching each resident’s life. For more information or to schedule a complimentary lunch and tour, call 1-800-324-5523. Or visit UPMCSeniorCommunities.com for a virtual tour of any of our 14 UPMC Senior Communities locations.

UPMC Senior Communities

No large up-front payment • Month-to-month contracts • Move-in specials

Beatty Pointe Village, Monroeville A 125-unit retirement community featuring private and spacious studio/efficiency, oneor two-bedroom apartments, rented monthly with no buy-in fee, long-term lease or hidden costs. Includes a kitchenette, wall-towall carpeting, window treatments, walk-in shower, wood cabinetry and individually controlled heating/air conditioning. Housekeepers clean the apartment, providing sheets and towels each week. Also includes daily activities, outings and interest groups; private dining rooms for family parties and special occasions; comfortable guest apartment for family and friends, Florida rooms, outdoor courtyards and a gardening area.

All just minutes from Monroeville shopping and dining.

Cumberland Woods Village, Allison Park The newest addition to UPMC independent living retirement communities, Cumberland Woods is located on a wooded hilltop with amenities reminiscent of a fine resort. Twenty-eight styles of oneand two bedroom apartments exist with options such as dens, patios and balconies. The Woods also offers assisted living and preferred access to skilled nursing options at discounted fees and other monthly arrangements. This site also includes two restaurants, a state-of-theart fitness and activity center, a 247-seat stadium theater with surround sound and more.

Hampton Fields Village, Hampton Township Three-story, 125-unit community featuring studio/efficiency, one- and twobedroom apartments near McKnight Road shopping area. Offers an on-site convenience store; comfortable guest/family apartment; Florida room, outdoor courtyards and gardening area, and a non-denominational chapel.

Lighthouse Pointe Village at Chapel Harbor Located in O’Hara Township on the banks of the Allegheny River, this 134-unit retirement community is located in one of Pittsburgh’s premiere communities. With its mix of single-family homes, townhouses and condominiums, Chapel Harbor is also graced with parklets and a town square.

Lighthouse Pointe also features private dining rooms, daily outings, a convenience store and much more.

Seneca Hills Village, near Penn Hills With a hill top view, this three-story, 124-unit community marks the spot of the former Seneca School. Like its sister retirement communities, it boasts similar amenities where seniors can pursue their active lives in studio/efficiency, one- and two-bedroom apartments on a lovely, pastoral campus.

Strabane Trails Village, just off I-70 and Route 19 near Racetrack Road near a retail shopping district, the Trails offers all the comforts of home and amenities such as a well-equipped exercise area, private dining rooms and convenience store among other.

Vanadium Woods Village, Scott Township Three-story, 122-unit apartments and studio/efficiencies in tranquil surroundings where seniors can gather in a cozy fireside lounge, or enjoy a butterfly garden area, paved walking area and so much more.

Sherwood Oaks, established in 1982, sought to gather an active senior population who wanted to take charge of their lives and their well being. Fashioned around the desires of those seniors seeking an active life, much forethought was given to adding a health care component to get and keep seniors healthy. Becoming part of the UPMC family of independent living communities in 2002, Sherwood Oaks still boasts a vibrant, carefree way of life on its 84 acres replete with amenities and unparalleled recreational choices. Here, residents can avail themselves of the Lifecare Advantage, where seniors pre-pay for health care and a fully guaranteed unlimited extended care, or engage in simpler rental contracts. “The primary difference at Sherwood Oaks is that the majority of residents have contracts common in a continuing care retirement community,” Case said. “All three levels of care are included in the contract. However, month-to-month rentals are also available for independent living and personal care if that arrangement is more desirable to the resident.” For the on-the-go senior, Sherwood Oaks is more than a community of like-minded retirees. It’s about living life

to the fullest, conveniently and with style, starting with chef-prepared cuisine, fitness and wellness programs, weekly housekeeping and laundry services, scheduled transportation and recreational activities from activity/craft rooms and badminton to Wimbledon croquet and a woodworking shop and everything in between. In addition to garden areas surrounding the patio homes, Sherwood campus garden plots are available for the avid gardener’s asking.

The Oak Lodge offers five rooms for family and friends who may wish to spend the night, with a meeting room at the ready for private parties. This gated community even helps incoming residents move through the services of a professional moving organizer.

With a plethora of options for active senior living, the phrase “retirement community” almost seems a misnomer with its residents defying what has previously been called “our elderly population.” For many, the challenge may lie in choosing just the right venue for spending those next chapters in the book of life. From “aging in place,” as they term the decision to remain in a current residence, to downsizing in a village concept, or seeking independent living in a retirement community with its range of living quarters and degrees of luxury, the decision can include considerations of lifestyle and physical abilities along with the ability to exercise the mind and spirit, which many claims can lengthen lives and improve their quality. Reportedly, Pittsburgh is “one of the largest providers of senior independent living services in the country. With 14 Healthy Active Living Centers, 8,000 registered seniors and an extensive list of programs and services, the City’s senior population is active and engaged” according to an August 2, 2012, press release issued by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s office.

Encouraging indeed as the ever burgeoning 55+ population is, southwestern Pennsylvania determines where … and what … home will be!

Note: This story highlights some of the larger active senior living opportunities available in the Pittsburgh area. Many other active senior communities exist in and around the Pittsburgh area. For more information, visit such web sites as http:// pittsburgh.about.com; www.topretirements. com/reviews/Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh.html, and others. NH www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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20 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

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N E E R

W E N S ’

T A WH

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As recently as three years ago, the decision to build a green home required a lot of research and the right builder.

In a couple dozen markets in the country – and Pittsburgh was one of them – there were homebuilders who had a passion for green building and the knowledge to put it to use, but they were in the minority.

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B

ut while the bubble was bursting on the American housing market, the green building bubble was just blowing up. By 2010, homebuilders like Ryan Homes, Heartland Homes, S & A Homes and others were building EnergyStar-certified homes to see if they could adapt their production-oriented approach to green building. In 2012, the majority of the homes built in Western PA could have been EnergyStar homes; that is, the builders who built 70 percent of the new homes in Pittsburgh regularly built EnergyStar homes. Yet the pace of change in the industry is such that many of the builders have moved beyond EnergyStar certification.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) created the EnergyStar program to promote the manufacturing of energy efficient equipment and best practices. What EnergyStar offered that was compelling was a set of performance standards that required thirdparty verification before the EnergyStar designation was awarded.

Obtaining the EnergyStar certification requires meeting measurable standards that

22 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

were derived from how much better a home was built than the local codes. At the basis for the measurements was a home energy rating system or HERS rating that came from an analysis of a home’s construction plans and onsite inspections. Based on the home’s plans, the home energy rater uses an energy efficiency software package to perform an energy analysis of the home’s design. This analysis yields a projected, preconstruction HERS Index. During and after construction the home rater conducts onsite inspections, typically including a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house) and a duct test (to test the leakiness of the ducts) to come up with a rating compared to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code as a reference home.

The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS reference home. A reduction in energy consumption of one percent results in a one point reduction in the HERS Index.

Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15 percent more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home. EnergyStar requires a HERS of 85 or lower to award certification to a new house.

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EnergyStar has become a program that concerned residential contractors have turned to for education and certification in better construction practices. And for consumers, identifying an EnergyStar certified builder should be the first step in building a high performance home.

Speaking with some of the early adopters of green building today, you get the sense that mass acceptance of energy and environmentally sensitive standards has taken some of the luster off green building. The attitude is similar to what you might imagine the pioneers of Rock and Roll had when the music was played on all the radio stations. The cache of going against the tide was gone.

There was often a palpable dissatisfaction that what they had once developed underground had gone mainstream.

The truth is that the earliest pioneers of green or sustainable homebuilding were working to get the mainstream to accept the ideas they fostered. Now that adoption of those principles has occurred, the leaders in green building are pushing new edges of the envelope, even as the production-oriented builder is expanding the market.

Mars-based S & A Homes was one of those builders that worked to see how it could incorporate green building into its processes.

S & A’s CEO, Bob Poole, believed that energy efficient homes weren’t only for wealthy buyers and began engineering his homes to move beyond the minimum HERS rating standards. Their current home designs are scoring HERS rating near 60. As S & A Homes was able to push its HERS ratings lower, the company even developed a brand for its green homes, called the ‘E-Home.’

cade ago. Beyond the cultural commitment to sustainability, building a more energy efficient home helps Heartland separate itself from the competition, says Kevin Oakley, Heartland’s vice president of sales and marketing.

“Every home we build is an E-Home. It’s growing because we’re building more,” says Chris Cinker, S & A Homes’ general manager in Western PA. “Every builder is EnergyStar but we’re building better than EnergyStar so we created the E-Home to communicate the differences between our homes and the standards for EnergyStar.”

Oakley says that Heartland is a partner in Dow Chemical’s High Performance Home Homebuilders’ Council. The participating builders are highly committed to high performance construction and advise Dow on the needs of the marketplace. A recent Council meeting underscored some of the market issues that face builders. Dow presented an analysis of the costs of the various materials that go into a new home and concluded that the return-on-investment for homebuilders was greatest on homes with a HERS rating between 70 and 80. Oakley notes that Heartland’s homes regularly get HERS ratings in the mid-50’s.

Heartland Homes has become the region’s second-largest builder and was recently acquired by NVR Inc. Part of what has helped them succeed in attracting more customers is their high level of commitment to green building, which was a market demand CEO Marty Gillespie felt was coming a half-de-

“We want to be ahead of the curve and above average,” he explains. “The price of our homes is higher than our competitors’ so we have to prove that people should spend that much more.”

“There is a dynamic tension between raising the standards and selling enough homes to be economical,” he says. Oakley sees the key to selling a more energy efficient home as better communication with the customer. He points to Ideal Homes from Oklahoma City as a benchmark. Ideal was the first builder in America to build an EnergyStar home under $250,000 and a Zero Energy home under $300,000. “The best company in the country at [green building] spends a max of three minutes explaining it to the customer. That means you have to be simple. It’s insulation, building envelope, windows and HVAC.” One thing the higher-volume builders all seem to be experiencing is a shift in the importance of the EnergyStar certification.

Builders who embraced higher performance homes had to invest in people and process changes in order to routinely build EnergyStar homes and by this time those basic business changes are now the norm.

Like Heartland and S & A Homes, most EnergyStar builders regularly exceed the HERS standards. The changing landscape is creating new opportunities to improve the home and new marketing directions for the builders.

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Heartland Homes has staff dedicated to designing higher performance homes but they are finding that the demands of the marketplace aren’t as complicated as they might have imagined.

consumption, and an array of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof to generate electricity. With the incentives in place, the home cost very little extra to build and actually generates the owner additional benefits.

he admits. “I went to some seminars about it but never got any feedback that it was going to meet standards. But I think there are some lessons to be learned from passive house.”

“If someone has a special area of interest we can do something custom to make the home greener but over-engineering the house doesn’t make sense to the average customer,” notes Oakley. “Maybe one customer in 100 raises an issue beyond the things we’re already doing on every Heartland home.”

“The guy went out and bought a Chevy Volt and he’s plugging it into the house,” chuckles Ernie Sota, president of Sota Construction. The home’s surplus electricity generation allows the homeowner to charge his Volt from the ‘off the grid.’

The passive house concept represents today’s highest energy standard with the promise of slashing the heating energy consumption of buildings by 90 percent. Unlike many of the earlier green building standards, passive house is entirely performance driven, rather than built using a prescriptive approach. This means the certification – which is rigidly overseen by the U.S. (USPHA) or European Passive House Alliance – is dependent upon precise performance tests after construction, rather than a checklist of steps taken that intend to accomplish an energy performance.

Chris Cinker sees a similar pattern and says the market has changed S & A’s approach to EnergyStar certification. “There are people who talk to us about geothermal or alternatives for renewable energy but it’s uncommon,” he says. “We’ll do EnergyStar if the client wants it but the client pays for the certification. Our engineers have found that EnergyStar requires certain things to be done that don’t make the home more energy-efficient and just add cost. We’ve actually priced those things out and added EnergyStar as an option. It’s not a lot of money but we haven’t had one person accept it.”

So if what was new in 2010 – EnergyStar homes – is now commonplace, what does a buyer who wants to be on the cutting edge do? For starters, you can build a zero energy home.

While EnergyStar is aimed at reducing the energy needed to operate a home compared to an average home built in 2006, the goal of a zero energy home is to reduce the energy load and generate enough energy to offset the consumption. That means using alternative sources of energy, usually solar or wind, to generate enough electricity on site to offset the electricity and energy consumed.

Accomplishing zero energy is difficult but doable in 2012, and it requires working the problem from both ends.

Sota Construction built the region’s first zero energy home at the Riverside Mews on the South Side a couple of years ago. Last year Sota was awarded a Green Power Award by PennFuture in recognition of the accomplishment. The home is a 2,000 square foot townhouse, which uses an extremely well-insulated thermal envelope, geothermal cooling and heating to reduce energy 24 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

To get zero energy Sota paid most attention to the thermal envelope to reduce the energy loss. They used R-20 insulation in the walls, R-40 in the floor slab and R-60 in the roof. There’s a good solar orientation

The architect for the passive house for Action Housing was Laura Nettleton, founder of the firm Thoughtful Balance.

She says the performance standard impacts the way the house is built in two important ways.

and a good water source heat pump with a geothermal well in the back yard. There are small measures that add up to keeping demand low, like LED lighting and a super heater that captures the heat loss during the cooling cycle. As a result of the energy efficiency measures, the home uses roughly 7,500 kilowatt hours. Sota installed a photovoltaic solar array capable of generating 8,000 KwH and the home has operated with a significant net negative energy use since it was occupied in April 2011.

Ernie Sota has been a pioneer in green building since founding his company in 1992, building to standards that exceed EnergyStar or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards before either existed. Sota is building other zero energy homes but has his eye on the next frontier in residential construction: the passive house.

“I kind of ignored passive house until Action Housing built one in Heidelberg,”

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“What’s different about a passive house is how we make the energy model,” she explains. “While we’ve done models before, the models were always the work of the mechanical engineer on the HVAC system. But we’ve never before looked at all the details of the home itself to see the effect on energy performance.”

What Nettleton is describing is a fine tuning of the design of the home to take into account exactly how much heat is lost or gained from the building components, instead of the thermal performance of the HVAC system and the insulation. For example, a steel beam that carries a structural load across the entire home will act as a thermal bridge – conducting cold from the exterior if not insulated – and inadvertently cool a floor above or the room below.

Windows and their frame systems can allow air infiltration and radiate heat or cold from outside. Neither of these factors have been accounted when the energy models have been done heretofore, so the impact on performance was always missed, meaning the home’s energy performance also missed the mark. The passive house’s energy model requires that all components of the home’s construction be analyzed for their contribution or detraction from the energy reduction.

The other key difference is in the measurement of the home’s performance. While the architect’s design and the energy model create a plan for how the 90 percent reduction should work, the tests USPHA requires for certification provide a rigid measurement of how well the plan worked, before the home is even occupied. Passive house requires three blower tests, one each after the windows and doors are installed, one after insulation is put in and one once the drywall is completed. And the standards are very demanding.

“To give you an idea of how tight the house had to be, we forgot to put a piece of insulating tape on a sink drain overflow and were failing,” says Nettleton. “Passive house says you have to meet these standards – this many kBtu or this much ventilation – and they don’t care how you get there.”

What is most interesting about the Heidelberg home is that the client, Action Housing Inc. is a non-profit whose mission is to provide decent affordable housing. One knock on green building has always been that there was an additional cost involved, a ‘green premium’ for choosing a higher performance building.

Advocates of green building always argued that a premium was not necessary but the argument is more effective when the highest energy standards are being used in affordable housing.

Laura Nettleton says she is seeing acceptance of the passive house concept in multi-family projects, which are both great targets for reducing energy load and for gaining wider acceptance for the more demanding standards.

For Ernie Sota, there are still some trade-offs that make passive homes a problem, particularly the surrender of daylight because of smaller windows and the reduced market acceptance because of the less appealing appearance. He is attracted by the search for better performance, however, and equates this next step in the evolution of home-building with the evolution of LEED. “Groups like the USGBC [which overseas LEED] are continually addressing issues,” he says. “LEED wasn’t originally about energy efficiency but they have now addressed that. It’s like building codes that are always changing to make home construction better. Green building is doing the same.” NH

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Project Profile

River Vue Where Downtown History and the New Era of Pittsburgh Urbanites Enjoy a View From the Top

26 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

| Winter 2013

Project Profile

It’s 5:30 p.m. on a Friday evening in winter. An incomparable silhouette of Downtown Pittsburgh glimmers through the mist of a cold December rain, and the office lights in buildings create an illuminated brail that holds the story of a town resolute in its capabilities to weather any storm, both economic and atmospheric. www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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Project Profile

The city’s famed bridges all lead to the bustling restaurants and vibrant market places that come alive in the holiday season, but the rapture is broken by the sound of car horns behind you on Route 28. In the frenetic jockeying for salvation that is evening rush hour, you have unwittingly daydreamed your way into missing a green light, igniting the fury of the angry motorists behind you. Why the suburbs? you ask yourself. Whose bright idea was this, and is he driving an hour to and from work every day like the rest of us? As the light changes from yellow to red again, still no closer to home and family, you hold yourself back from reentering a reverie tinged with the romantic Fountainhead-esque notion that man can live in the concrete jungle and thrive—that an urban abode exists to suit his every need, whim, and desire.

Downtown Pittsburgh is a city that means something different for every generation. We’ve heard the stories of how it used to be, though, and perhaps some of us have even lived it: hatted women anxiously elbowing their way through Horne’s, shoe shine stations outlining the perimeters of hotel lobbies, moviegoers forming a line around the Benedum Center for a Friday night “talkie.” And when the department store shopping, and shoe shining, and movie watching ended, the city street lights cast a glow towards home, and “home” was only a few blocks away.

It was a smartly-designed, sturdily-built apartment that overlooked the river, or the cityscape, or the bridges that led away from the bustling epicenter that was a city rife with possibility, romance, and the familiar twinge of opportunity.

Downtown Pittsburgh has undergone a transformation, however, and the vivacity of the city center hit a social slump

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until fairly recently. A mere decade ago, the majority of the Golden Triangle became a proverbial ghost town past 5:00 p.m., save for the theater crowds hurrying towards their shows and leaving before the curtains lowered to beat traffic towards the suburbs. Though Pittsburgh had once suffered the press of a “pause button” during weeknights and weekend days, real estate visionaries have recently seen the possibility of restoring it to its halcyon glory, perhaps even managing to surpass its vibrant history to provide a new generation of Pittsburghers with commodious urban living.

The time couldn’t be more perfect for it, either. Pittsburgh’s rental industry is strong, and as younger people decide to remain in the city, it’s a palatable

option for those beginning their careers. Forbes and other noteworthy business journals believe that Pittsburgh poses some of the best opportunities for entrepreneurs and start-ups in the U.S. The new generation of business owners and employees isn’t looking to battle traffic home each night after an 11-hour day at the office, either. They want to entertain, work, play, and find peace without having to get a tank of gas to do so.

Enter Millcraft Investments. Since 1957, Millcraft has devoted itself to fortifying Pittsburgh’s real estate devel-

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opment and hospitality centers. Their expertise lies in the creation of retail, mixed-use, and large-scale office ventures. Though they have done considerable development in the outlying suburbs (golf course communities and office parks), they are promoters of the urban ideal where work and life aren’t separated by a river.

The latest city living project completed by Millcraft is the River Vue: a 218-unit apartment building that was financed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Pittsburgh office (HUD). River Vue proudly joins its city siblings, Piatt Place and Market Square Place. Piatt Place is the successful conversion of the former Lazarus-Macy’s building on Fifth Avenue and Wood Street and hosts condos, restaurants, offices, and retail operations. Market Square Place is also a mixed-use development, a prominent tenant being the new downtown YMCA. River Vue is a $45.5M renovation of the State Office Building into a place to live, eat, and exercise, yes, even after 7:00 p.m. When asked if a former government building lent a stately, Federal quality to the interiors, Lucas Piatt, Chief Operating Officer at Millcraft, quickly dispelled the notion of nostalgic architectural romanticism.

“The building’s common areas were not very attractive with their Pepto Bismolcolored metal partitions…it was very institutional.” Piatt notes that even if the interiors had met aesthetic standards, asbestos posed a problem. A complete asbestos remediation took place, which stripped the building down to its bare bones. “The only things we kept in place were the building’s shell and façade, which were both in good shape.

We did, however, replace the exterior panes of the windows, but that was simply because the tint was so dark, it would have blocked a lot of the natural

Project Profile

It is the element of convenience that Piatt believes drives Pittsburgh’s current demographic to urban residential communities. “People who work downtown understand that it is much more efficient to live downtown as well.

light in the apartments.” The conversion was performed by Turner Construction Co., and took into careful consideration environmentally-aware construction practices and energy efficiency.

Design 4 Studio masterfully brought the unfortunate, antacid-colored décor into the 21st century, and created a space that is modern, but not uninviting, providing respite from the daily grind, sans pink accoutrements.

Studios, one-bedroom units, twobedroom units, and one three-bedroom unit are for rent, as well as two-story townhomes and walk-up flats on the upper levels. Lincoln Property Co. handles the leasing.

With the financing market still making business difficult for builders and developers nationwide, and with construction costs posing a potential obstacle for the River Vue plan, Piatt briefly pondered shelving the project. That was, until, he decided to take advantage of Pittsburgh’s resilient rental market and the region’s greatest asset: the views.

“So on the back of the highly successful Market Square Place project, we decided to turn our attention to apartments.

The HUD financing package was very attractive, and along with the strong apartment market and the building’s location and views, apartments were a no-brainer.” But Piatt wasn’t going to allow River Vue to die the daily 5:00 p.m. death. If Millcraft was going to invest in an urban living “environment,” it had to be exactly that: something that would instill a sense of vibrancy sun-up to sun-down; it had to be a place residents would find accommodating and that the general public would look to

as an example of successful city living.

“Our thought was that this building needs to be a 24/7 building—something that activates the gateway to the city and Point State Park.”

He succeeded at producing a place that did exactly that, and then some.

Amongst the many amenities, including on-site management and balconies on the upper floors, residents enjoy regular continental breakfasts during the workweek. When looking for heartier fare, there’s a restaurant on site, too. Stone Neapolitan Pizza serves beer, wine, pizza, salads, and sand-

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Project Profile

wiches, ideal for lunch breaks or a quick bite en route to the theater or a game. And for those residents who keep a car just in case they decide to brave the suburbs every now and again, there is on-site valet parking. “We feel that our amenities paired with the amazing views and the building’s convenient location offer a great option for anyone looking to rent in the city.”

It is the element of convenience that Piatt believes drives Pittsburgh’s current demographic to urban residential

30 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

communities. “People who work downtown understand that it is much more efficient to live downtown as well. There is a migration back to the cities happening around the country. People are tired of long commutes and having to drive to amenities. Downtown offers nearly everything anyone could ever want, or need, within walking distance.

People in Pittsburgh get it now, and it’s believed that 10,000-12,000 people will be living Downtown in the next five to ten years.”

We’ve heard it time and again: Build it and they will come, but will those who heed the call and show up be amenable to renting property, versus buying it?

Pittsburgh, a town not usually associated with urban renters scouring the obituaries for pending real estate availability (trust this former New Yorker— this is not a twisted hobby, rather a brutal necessity for desperate renters

| Winter 2013

in major metro areas) is surprisingly attractive for a population of city slickers who find buying property constrictive, prohibitive of wanderlust, and detrimental to their professional relocation.

“I think more people in general prefer to rent these days. These are mobile people who don’t settle into jobs for long periods of time; they need to be flexible with their living situation and be able to relocate fairly easily. And then there is the sense of worry that the housing bubble has caused.” Despite the advantages of renting in the city, Piatt doesn’t preclude the benefits of buying for those who intend to stay put awhile. “If you are in it for the long haul, buying a condo is definitely a good option in Downtown. The mortgage interest deduction, the city tax abatement, and tax-free appreciation are elements that make it attractive. So, there is a trade-off: the financial benefits of ownership versus the flexibility

Project Profile

of renting. We have property options for buying and renting in the city to meet every potential downtown dweller’s needs.”

It’s easy to imagine an up and coming 20-something briskly traversing the urban landscape, skipping from work to an art gallery, then to drinks and dinner on a Wednesday night, but what about families with little ones? Piatt admits that most people looking to rent Downtown are “empty nesters and young professionals,” but just like other cities in the world, city parks hold possibilities for play that make the suburbs pale in comparison. Eloise, the famed literary character who grew up at New York City’s Plaza Hotel, was a quick-witted, savvy youngster who many little girls on quiet cul-de-sacs envied. One can’t help but believe that it was her exposure to the fast-paced rhythm of the city that served as an invisible mentor of sorts, teaching

Piatt sees the perceived “inconvenience” as a myth, and cites reasons as to why city living isn’t only more convenient, but more attractive for someone looking to be active outside of the office. her real-life lessons amongst the taxis and steaming subway grates. She wasn’t at a loss for play space, either—Central Park was at her doorstep. “River Vue has a wonderful front yard and playground: Point State Park,” Piatt says.

“Some families see being Downtown as attractive, and it is a demographic we should focus on more actively as a city and as developers.”

With all that Downtown offers, however, the same concerns can be heard: Where do we go grocery shopping? What about gas stations? What if we need a late dinner and all of the restaurants are closed? No matter how many times leasing companies dispel the myths that the nearest filling station is over a distant mountain, or that one needn’t build up stores of food to survive a holiday weekend, the excuses

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Project Profile

cloud the decision-making process.

Another urban myth about downtown living? Noise. What if we hear sirens? What about the buses making stops? To anyone who has ever lived in a suburb with neighbors keeping dogs, children, and promoting a summertime porch party mentality, “noise” proves a suburban plague. It is good to know that modern downtown residential construction is some of the most effective in preventing outside noise from filtering indoors, as well as noise from adjacent neighbors.

32 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

| Winter 2013

Project Profile nient, but more attractive for someone looking to be active outside of the office.

Where else can you walk to four professional sports stadiums, at least half a dozen world-class theaters, nearly a hundred fine restaurants, and several parks and piazzas? And where else could you take the “T” for free to the casino, or a show at a renowned music venue, and then walk to work the next day? Most restaurants do not close early, and if anyone takes a trip to Market Square on a Sunday afternoon, he or she will understand that these excuses are outdated and irrelevant. If you’re living Downtown and really don’t need a car, the location of a gas station is an unlikely concern, but if it is, there are eight stations within a mile or so. The same goes for a grocery store. There are several stores within a few minutes’ drive, including Whole Foods and the Giant Eagle Market District.

If you don’t want to drive, River Vue offers grocery delivery services, or you can take advantage of the farmer’s market in Market Square or visit the Strip District.

Recently, Pittsburgh

has been receiving

Recently, Pittsburgh has been receivrecognition for its ing recognition for its downtown markets. The downtown markets. office, hotel, and residential markets are doing exceptionally well, but there is still work to do on the retail front. It’s an improvement that Piatt hopes to see come Plus, Pittsburgh is a happening city, but to fruition soon. Millcraft is currently until the entire town becomes a 24-hour working with the Mayor’s office to pump mecca complete with marquis lights and lifeblood into the retail climate Downfire-breathing street performers entertown, seeking ways to build incentives taining crowds at 4:00 a.m., the angry for boutiques and soft goods retailers to Labrador Retriever barking incessantly set up shop.

The success, however, lies in a suburban housing plan is more a in the hands of local residents and their reality than an apocalyptic symphony patronage. “I would like to see downof sirens, firecrackers, and cymbaltown storefronts infill with boutique laden night parades. retail shops, a unique grocery store, and a simplification of bus routes and traffic Piatt sees the perceived “inconveto be devised for Downtown. I know that nience” as a myth, and cites reasons as the Mayor and his administration are to why city living isn’t only more conve-

focused on addressing these issues, but I just wish we could fast-forward to the results,” Piatt states.

Fast results are something Piatt is familiar with. With the overwhelming success of Market Place and Piatt Place, it’s expected that River Vue will not only be an attractive downtown living option, but that the urban development initiatives that Millcraft continues to lead will also boost Pittsburgh’s economic sustainability and health.

As testament to the effect his real estate developments have had on local businesses, 30 restaurants have opened Downtown in the past two years. Since more residents are living Downtown, these establishments are enjoying loyal, regular patronage and have extended operating hours as a result.

Piatt’s hope is that retailers are next to take advantage of this downtown renaissance. “I am very optimistic that our hard work and shared vision over the past several years will yield sustainable results that improve the overall vitality of the city.”

River Vue will bring the total value of Millcraft’s downtown projects to $160M, and future projects are already in the works, namely the Gardens at Market Square, a $77M hotel, condo, and retail operation with an entrance on Forbes Avenue. Piatt attributes the ability to aggressively redevelop Downtown to the city’s civic, non-profit, and corporate leadership, and to the creation of successful public/private partnerships. Millcraft has done an exemplary job of keeping that ball rolling thus far, not so bad for a process that Piatt calls “a mix of strategic planning, numbers, location, and a good gut feeling.” And what if the “gut” isn’t feeling so optimistic? Well, there’s always that Pepto-Bismol-colored scrap from the former State Building that might do the trick… NH

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33

Greater Pittsburgh’s NEW HOME is the first, comprehensive source of market information for newcomers, current residents as well as all professionals in the residential real estate business for the Greater Pittsburgh area.

NEW HOME will give insight about today’s marketplace, our regional economic outlook, individual and project profiles as well as in-depth feature articles on the issues and personalities driving our region’s residential market.

Our editorial content presents the very best our region has to offer in new housing communities, locations and developments that showcase home building and remodeling projects for today’s consumer. Discover state of the art features in comfort, technology, craftsmanship, innovation and style in modern residential living.

Before you buy, build or remodel a home, Greater Pittsburgh’s NEW HOME is required reading! Let us help you create the home that meets your personal dreams, goals and needs.

Custom single-family homes, carriage homes, townhomes or condominiums ‌ new locations and new homesites.

RESIDENTIAL

NEW CONSTRUCTION

NewHome can help you discover a home to match your lifestyle.

36 City of Pittsburgh 36 Allegheny County 39 Beaver County 39 Butler County 41 Washington County 42 Westmoreland County

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

35

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

CITY OF PITTSBURGH

CITY OF PITTSBURGH 151 First Side Downtown Pittsburgh Condominiums Priced from: $500,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: 151 First Side 412-586-5970 151firstside.com Angel’s Arms Southside Condominiums Priced from: $199,900 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Northwood Realty Services 412-367-3200 Bedford Hill City of Pittsburgh, Homewood Single-family homes Priced from: $130,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Northwood Realty 412-367-3200 northwood.com

The Residences Pittsburgh Downtown Pittsburgh Skyhomes Priced from: $554,500 Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-355-0777 Riverside Mews City of Pittsburgh/South Side Contemporary townhomes Priced from: $449,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: One80 Real Estate Services LLC 412-318-4139 one80res.com Summerset at Frick Park City of Pittsburgh/ Squirrel Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development Single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes, condominiums, apartments Priced from: $300,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Summerset Land Development Associates 412-420-0120 summersetatfrickpark.com

Columbus Square North Side Single family Priced from: $179,000 to $289,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Fourth River Development LLC 412-231-4444 ColumbusSquarePittsburgh.com

Sweetbriar Village City of Pittsburgh/Mt. Washington Townhomes Priced from: $240,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Coldwell Banker Real Estate Agency: 412-521-2222 liveatsweetbriarvillage.com

Federal Hill City of Pittsburgh/ Northside Townhomes Priced from: $140,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: S & A Realty 412-364-2626

Windom Hill Place City of Pittsburgh/South Side Contemporary townhomes - condo Priced from: $699,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: One80 Real Estate Services LLC 412-318-4139 one80res.com

Hilltop Housing Initiative Beltzhoover Single-family homes Priced from: $89,900 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Northwood Realty 412-367-3200 northwood.com

Wylie Ave. Homes East Allegheny /Hill District Single-family homes Priced from: $140,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Northwood Realty 412-367-3200 northwood.com

Market House Shadyside Condominiums Priced from: $350,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-683-1980 howardhanna.com Nunnery Hill Overlook Northside Single-family homes Priced from: $180,000 School district: City of Pittsburgh Agency: RE/MAX Select Realty 412-633-9300 ext. 214 724-309-1758 fineviewhomes.com

ALLEGHENY COUNTY Autumn Woods Moon Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $330,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: S&A Realty 412-264-9200 sahomebuilder.com Avonworth Heights Ohio Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $425,000 School district: Avonworth Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Barrington Manor Franklin Park Custom single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-367-8000 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Robinson Township Classic Custom Homes from $500,000 On 2+ Acres Each

Berkley Ridge South Fayette Township Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 School district: South Fayette Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1734 HeartlandCustomHomes.com The Berkshires South Fayette Township Single-family homes and townhomes Priced from: $210,000 single-family, $170,000 townhomes School district: South Fayette Agency: Ryan Homes 412-914-2057 ryanhomes.com Berringer Court at Sonoma Ridge Moon Township Carriage homes Priced from: $240,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1724 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Breckenridge Highlands Baldwin Borough Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Baldwin-Whitehall Agency: Ryan Homes 724-218-1328 ryanhomes.com Brandywine Elizabeth Township Single-family homes Priced from: $170,000 School district: Elizabeth Forward Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-896-1845 www.marondahomes.com Briarwood Franklin Park Single-family homes Priced from: $470,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1716 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Brookfield Manor South Park Single-family homes Priced from: $260,000 School district: South Park Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1704 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Call Today

412-787-8807

VisitParagonHomes.com

Castletown Franklin Park Custom single-family homes Priced from: $650,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-367-8000 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Cimarron Moon Township Single-family homes Priced from: $210,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Ryan Homes 412-264-5029 ryanhomes.com

Centennial Point Collier Township Townhomes and single-family homes Priced from: $180,000 townhomes, $240,000 single-family Chartiers Valley Agency: S&A Realty 412-276-0422 sahomebuilder.com

Cobblestone Ohio Township Single-family homes New Phase Spring 2013 School district: Avonworth Agency: Ryan Homes 412-367-1927 ryanhomes.com

Chapel Harbor Fox Chapel Carriage homes, townhomes and single-family homes Priced from: $249,900 School district: Fox Chapel Area Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-963-7655 liveinchapelharbor.com Chartiers Landing Robinson Township Single-family homes Priced from: $375,000 School district: Montour Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-262-4630 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Cobblestone Ohio Township Single-family homes Priced from: $270,000 School district: Avonworth Agency: S&A Realty 724-538-5001 sahomebuilder.com Copper Creek Marshall Township Luxury estate custom homes Priced from: $1,200,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Eddy Homes 412-221-0400 EddyHomes.com Copper Creek Marshall Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $1.2 million School District: North Allegheny Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Chavelle Estates Plum Borough Single-family homes Priced from: Mid-$200,000 School district: Plum Borough www.signaturehomesadvantage.com Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com ricciuticonstruction.com

Burwood Acres Robinson Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $340,000 School district: Montour Agency: S&A Realty 412-264-9200 sahomebuilder.com

FIELDS OF NICHOLSON www.signaturehomesadvantage.com 36 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

| Winter 2013

The Courtyards of Cobblestone Ohio Township Single-family carriage and villa homes Priced from: $234,400 School district: Avonworth Agency: Epcon Homes and Communities 412-548-3298 epconcarriagehomes.com Deerfield Ridge South Fayette Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $375,000 Agency: Paragon Homes 412-787-8807 VisitParagonHomes.com Della Strada South Park Single-family homes Priced from: $230,000 School district: South Park Agency: Ryan Homes 724-249-6835 Ryanhomes.com

Edgewater Oakmont Townhomes and courtyard homes Priced from: $270,000 School district: Riverview Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1722 HeartlandCustomHomes.com The Enclave Fox Chapel Single-family homes Priced from: $950,000 School district: Fox Chapel Area Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-963-7655 pittsburghmoves.com/TheEnclave English Farms Pine Township Custon single-family homes Priced from: $400,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: S&A Realty 724-778-3322 sahomebuilder.com The Estates at Jefferson Jefferson Borough Single-family homes Priced from: $275,000 Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-655-0400 pittsburghmoves.com /estatesatjefferson Fairacres Upper St. Clair Custom single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Upper St. Clair Agency: Prudential Preferred Reality 412- 833-7700 www.fairacresusc.com

Foxwood Knolls Moon Township Single-family homes Priced from: $230,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Ryan Homes 412-264-5029 ryanhomes.com

Falconhurst Forest O’Hara Township Single-family homes Priced from: $750,000 School district: Fox Chapel Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-963-6300 howardhanna.com

Foxwood Knolls Moon Township Single-family homes Priced from: $220,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-287-6256 www.marondahomes.com

Fayette Farms North Fayette Single-family homes and townhomes Priced from: $210,000 single-family, $190,000 townhomes School district: West Allegheny Agency: Ryan Homes 724-218-1328 ryanhomes.com

Georgetowne Pine Township Luxury townhomes Priced from: $529,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-367-8000 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Fayette Farms Estates North Fayette Township Custom Homes Priced from: $400,000 School district: West Allegheny Agency: Keller Williams 412-787-0888 Fayette Farms Meadows and Towns North Fayette Township Townhomes Priced from: $160,000 School district: West Allegheny Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1728 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Field Brook Farms Richland Township Single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-772-8822 howardhanna.com Fields of Nicholson Franklin Park Borough Custom carriage-homes from $542,400, Custom villas from $439,900 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Forest Oaks at Wexford Wexford Single-family Priced from: $199,900 School district: North Allegheny Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com /forestoaksatwexford Forest View Indiana Township Single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: Fox Chapel Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-772-8822 ricciuticonstruction.com howardhanna.com

Grace Manor Robinson Township Townhomes Priced from: $170,000 School district: Montour Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-329-7017 www.marondahomes.com Granite Ridge South Fayette Township Townhomes and single-family homes Priced from: $150,000 School district: South Fayette Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-523-1547 and 724-307-3079 www.marondahomes.com The Heights of North Park Pine Township Custom single-family Priced from: $900,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: RE/MAX Select 724-779-7072 The HeightsofNorth Park.com The Highlands Plum Borough Single-family homes Priced from: $220,000 School district: Plum Borough Agency: Ryan Homes 412-793-4797 ryanhomes.com Hunters Fields Jefferson Hills Borough Single-family homes Priced from: $200,000 School district: West Jefferson Hills Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-405-9470 www.marondahomes.com

GRaND oPeNING! Deerfield Ridge

South Fayette Lots Now Selling Large 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots Unique Home Designs • Custom Builder Quality Voice: 412-787-8807 email: BestService@VisitParagonHomes.com Jefferson Estates Jefferson Borough Carriage homes Priced from: $199,000 Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-655-0400 pittsburghmoves.com/jeffersonestates

Long Ridge Kennedy Township Single-family homes Priced from: $210,000 School district: Montour Agency: Ryan Homes 412-771-1456 ryanhomes.com

Kings Court Richland Township Single-family homes Priced from:$200,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-487-0500 kingscourtplan.info

Long Ridge Kennedy Township Single-family homes Priced from: $202,000 School district: Montour Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-458-0678 www.marondahomes.com

Lake MacLeod Pine Township Single-family homes Priced from: $750,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-487-0500 or 724-625-1277 lakemacleod.com Langdon Farms Pine Township Single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 or 724-776-2900 pittsburghmoves.com/langdonfarms Lenox Place Finley Township Villas and townhomes Priced from: $211,900 School district: West Allegheny Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-262-4630 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Madison Woods Moon/Crescent Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $350,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-262-4630 prudentialpreferredrealty.com The Manor McCandless Custom single-family Priced from: $575,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: RE/MAX Select Realty 724-779-7072 ManorCustomHomes.com

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

E lane @ Carnegie Carnegie Garden style condominiums Priced from: $194,900 School district: Carlton Agency: RE/MAX Select Realty 412-633-9300 ext. 214 724-309-1758 elane.biz

Fairwinds Richland Township Single-family homes Priced from: $280,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Ryan Homes 724-444-3177 ryanhomes.com

The Manor at Hartwood Indiana Township Single-family homes Priced from: $900,000 School district: Fox Chapel Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-963-6300 howardhanna.com

McCaslin Ridge Hampton Township Single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: Hampton Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com/ mccaslinfarms www.signaturehomesadvantage.com

The Links at Deer Run West Deer Golf course community, carriage homes Priced from: $199,900 School district: Deer Lakes Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

HyTyre Farms West Deer Township Carriage Homes Priced from: $224,000 School district: Deer Lakes Agency: Richland Holdings, LLC 724-443-4800 The Isles at The Highlands Plum Borough Patio and townhomes Priced from: $199,900s School district: Plum Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com

Avonworth Heights • Ohio Township • Custom single-family homes

www.signaturehomesadvantage.com

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

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McCormick Farms Moon/Crescent Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: High $400’s School district: Moon Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-262-4630 prudentialpreferredrealty.com McCormick Farms Robinson Township Single-family homes Priced from: $240,000 School district: Montour Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-788-3646 www.marondahomes.com The Meadows at Hampton Hampton Township First floor living homes Priced from: $399,000 School district: Hampton Agency: RE/MAX Select Realty 724-779-7070 MeadowsAtHampton.com

Oakwood Heights West Deer Township Single-family homes Priced from: $280,000 School district: Deer Lakes Agency: S&A Realty 724-778-3322 sahomebuilder.com

Parkview Estates Richland Township Single-family and carriage homes Priced from: $270,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-0171 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

One River Road O’Hara Township Townhomes Priced from: $625,000 School district: Fox Chapel Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-782-3700 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Pinecrest Pine Township Single-family homes Priced from: $370,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1702 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Rabold Fields Pine Township Single-family homes Priced from: $400,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com

Ridge Forest Franklin Park Single-family homes and townhomes Priced from: $290,000 single-family, $210,000 townhomes School district: North Allegheny Agency: Ryan Homes 724-852-3156 ryanhomes.com

Raintree Manor Hampton Township Townhomes Priced from: $225,000 School district: Hampton Agency: Minnock Construction Company 412-366-4770

Riverwatch at O’Hara Woods Fox Chapel Single-family homes Priced from: $400,000 School district: Fox Chapel Area Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-963-7655 pittsburghmoves.com/ riverwatch

homes across all western Pa Communities from $300,000

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Neville Manor Collier Township Carriage homes Priced from: $230,000 School district: Chartiers Valley Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1710 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Newbury South Fayette Carriage homes and single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 carriage, $370,000 single-family School district: South Fayette Agency: S&A Realty 412-276-0422 sahomebuilder.com Newbury South Fayette Single-family homes and townhomes Priced from: $210,000 School district: South Fayette Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-0175 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Saddlebrook Farms Bethel Park Custom single-family homes Priced from: $321,900 School district: Bethel Park Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-833-7700 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Sangree Farms Ross Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: North Hills Agency: Minnock Real Estate Services 412-369-7253

Picky People PICK Paragon

M

any home buyers think that custom equals expensive, but at Paragon we would love to make your dream home a reality whether your budget is $300,000 or over $2,000,000 At Paragon, we have a simple philosophy: build a great home designed around the customer’s needs and dreams. Contact us today and put our buyer-friendly process to work for you, after all, they are Your Dreams, Your Home, and should be built Your Way.

North Park Manor Pine Township Single-family Homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Pine Richland Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com/ northparkmanor

C a l l T o d ay :

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Scarlett Ridge Franklin Park Custom single-family Priced from: $600,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 www.EddyHomes.com Seabright North Fayette Township Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: West Allegheny Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-874-9764 www.marondahomes.com Sewickley Heights Manor Aleppo Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Quaker Valley Agency: Minnock Construction Company 412-366-4770

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Oakridge Estates Harrison Township Townhomes and single-family homes Priced from: $140,000, $170,000 single-family School district: Highland Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-895-3876 www.marondahomes.com Oakwood Heights West Deer Township Single-family homes Priced from: $219,900 School district: Deer Lakes Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 724-776-2900 pittsburghmoves.com/ oakwoodheights

Paragon Place Robinson Township Custom estate homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: Montour Agency: Paragon Homes 412-787-8807 VisitParagonHomes.com Park Place Indiana Township Single-family homes Priced from: $750,000 School district: Fox Chapel Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-963-6300 howardhanna.com

38 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

| Winter 2013

Prestley Heights Collier Township Single-family homes Priced from: $220,000 School district: Chartiers Valley Agency: Ryan Homes ryanhomes.com

Reddington Place Pine Township Single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-367-8000 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Silver Pines Pine Richland Townships Single-family homes Priced from: $850,000 School district: Pine Richland Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-934-3400

Private Acreage South Fayette Single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: South Fayette Agency: Paragon Homes 412-787-8807 VisitParagonHomes.com

The Reserve at Fox Chase Fox Chapel Area Patio and carriage homes Priced from: $299,900 School district: Allegheny Valley Agency: Dennis Associates 412-828-7606

Sonoma Ridge Moon Township Village single-family homes and estate homes Priced from: $320,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1724 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Steeplechase Whitehall Carriage homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Baldwin-Whitehall Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1719 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Walkers Ridge

New Cul-de-sac lots selling fast.

Adjacent to Nevillewood Great Collier location minutes from Robinson and the South Hills Voice: 412-787-8807 email: BestService@VisitParagonHomes.com

www.VisitWalkersRidge.com

Venango Trails Marshall Township Carriage Homes and single-family homes $330,000 carriage homes, $370,000 single-family School district: North Allegheny Agency: S & A Realty 724-778-3322 sahomebuilder.com

Stonebridge Hampton Township Single-family homes, carriage homes Priced from: $500,000 single-family homes; $289,000 Custom carriage homes School district: Hampton Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com

Village At Marshall Ridge Marshall Township Townhomes Priced from: $220,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Ryan Homes 724-639-4980 ryanhomes.com

The Summit Marshall Township Single-family homes Priced from: $800,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com/ thesummit

Venango Trails Marshall Township Townhomes Priced from: $230,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1720 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

The Village at Sweetwater Sewickley Townhomes Priced from: $440,000 School district: Quaker Valley Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1716 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Villages at Neville Park Collier Township Townhomes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Chartiers Valley Agency: Ryan Homes 412-276-0644 ryanhomes.com Vineseian Place Wilkins Township Single-family, single level living, quite cul-de-sac neighborhood Priced from: $375,000 School district: Woodland Hills Agency: One80 Real Estate Services 412-318-4139 one80res.com Walkers Ridge Collier Township Single-family homes Priced from: $270,000 School district: Chartiers Valley Agency: Paragon Homes 412-787-8807 VisitParagonHomes.com

Whispering Creek Hampton Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $450,000 School district: Hampton Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com Wiltshire Estates Moon Township Townhomes Priced from: $150,000 School district: Moon Area Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-474-3529 www.marondahomes.com Wood Creek Manor Findlay Township Townhomes and carriage homes Priced from: $160,000 School district: West Allegheny Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-474-3529 www.marondahomes.com Woods of Sewickley Sewickley Hills Custom single-family homes Priced from: $420,000 School district: Quaker Valley Agency: S&A Realty 724-538-5001 sahomebuilder.com Woods of Sewickley Hills Sewickley Hills Single-family estate homes Priced from: $370,000 School district: Quaker Valley Agency: Ryan Homes 724-741-8905 ryanhomes.com

BEAVER COUNTY Ashley Ridge Brighton Township Single-family homes Priced from: $220,000 School district: Beaver Area Agency: Ryan Homes 724-495-6795 ryanhomes.com

Goldenrod Meadows North Sewickley Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Riverside Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 7224-775-5700 howardhanna.com Nottingham Ellwood City Townhomes and patiohomes Priced from: $160,000 School district: Riverside Beaver County Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 724-776-2900 pittsburghmoves.com/ nottingham Seven Oaks Brighton Township Golf-course community with single-family custom homes and triplex carriage homes Priced from: $249,900 School district: Beaver Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Shenango Woods Chippewa Township Single-family homes Priced from: $180,000 School district: Blackhawk Agency: Ryan Homes 724-847-1659 ryanhomes.com

Villas of Economy Economy Borough Condos, Townhomes and Single-family homes Priced from: $249,900 School district: Ambridge Area Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com/villasofeconomy Whispering Pines Economy Borough Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Ambridge Area Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-287-6256 www.marondahomes.com Woodbridge Villas Center Township Townhomes or condos Priced from: $175,900 School district: Center Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-775-5700 howardhanna.com

BUTLER COUNTY Amherst Village Adams Township Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Heartland Homes 412-945-1367 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Belle Vue Park Cranberry Township Traditional and estate single family homes Priced from: $280,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686

Sweet Brier Hopewell Township Single-family homes Priced from: $180,000 School district: Hopewell Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-287-6256 www.marondahomes.com Traditions of America at Liberty Hills New Sewickley Township/ Economy Borough 55+ Lifestyle Living/ Single-family and garden homes/ Maintenance Free Priced from: $200,000s Agency: Traditions of America 724-869-5595 TraditionsofAmerica.com

Blackberry Heights Adams Township Single-family homes Priced from: $260,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Ryan Homes 724-249-6835 ryanhomes.com Blackthorn Penn Township Single-family home sites/Singlefamily homes Priced from: $66,000/$379,900 School district: South Butler Agency: Northwood Realty 724-282-1313 northwood.com

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

BUTLER COUNTY

Tuscany Ridge Collier Township Single-family homes Priced from: $215,000 School district: Chartiers Valley Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-200-2781 www.marondahomes.com

Village at Pine Pine Township Townhomes and single-family homes $220,000 townhomes and $260,000 single-family homes School district: Pine-Richland Agency: Ryan Homes 724-940-4051 ryanhomes.com

Waterford Place McCandless Township Single-family homes Coming soon Agency: Ryan Homes 724-249-6835

Barclay Hill Estates Brighton Township Villas Priced from: $226,900 School district: Beaver Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty prudentialpreferredrealty.com

The Village at Timberwood Trace Chippewa Township Carriage homes Priced from: $155,900 School district: Blackhawk Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-775-5700 howardhanna.com

BEAVER COUNTY

Sterling Ridge South Fayette Single-family homes Priced from: $320,000 School district: South Fayette Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-344-0500 pittsburghmoves.com/ sterlingridge

Sturbridge Court Wexford/Franklin Park Single-family homes Priced from: $550,000 School district: North Allegheny Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-772-8822 howardhanna.com

Aspen Field Brighton Township Single-family homes Priced from: $200,000 School district: Beaver Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 412-287-6256 www.marondahomes.com

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Stafford Park Robinson Township Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 School district: Montour Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1734 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

39

Brookstone Adams Township Single-family homes Priced from: $280,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: S&A Realty 724-778-3322 sahomebuilder.com Carriage Manor Cranberry Township Single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 724-776-2900 pittsburghmoves.com/ carriagemanor

BUTLER COUNTY

Chatham Court Adams Township Luxury paired villas Priced from: $599,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Cherrywood Springs Center Township Single-family home sites Priced from: $39,900 School district: Butler Area Agency: Northwood Realty 724-282-1313 northwood.com Ehrman Farms Cranberry Township Single-family homes Priced from: $550,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-452-1150 Foxmoor Cranberry Township Townhomes Priced from: $220,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: S & A Realty 724-538-5001 sahomebuilder.com Foxwood Estates Cranberry Township Single-family homes Priced from: $800,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com/foxwoodestates The Gables at Brickyard Hill Adams Township Custom carriage homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com

Georgetown Square Cranberry Township Townhomes and carriage homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Georgetown Square Associates 412-366-4770

Meadow Ridge Forward Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 724-776-2900 pittsburghmoves.com/meadowridge

Heritage Creek Adams Township Custom single-family homes, townhomes with first floor master suite, two-story townhomes Priced from: $300,000 single-family homes; $280,000 townhomes with first floor master suite; $230,000 two-story townhomes School district: Mars Area Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com

Meredith Glen Estates Adams Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $750,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Indian Meadow Adams Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com

Myoma Woods Adams Township Single-family homes Priced from: $360,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1700 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Mystic Ridge Cranberry Township Single-family homes Priced from: $390,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1716 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Leslie Farms Connoquenessing Borough Single-family Priced from $200,000 School District: Butler Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 724-776-2900 Pittsburghmoves.com/ LeslieFarms

The Oaks Buffalo Township Single-family homes Priced from: $299,900 School district: Freeport Area Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 homesattheoaks.com

Leslie Farms Connoquenessing Borough Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Butler Area Agency: S & A Realty 724-538-5001 sahomebuilder.com

Orchard Park Cranberry Township Single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1712 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Madison Heights Cranberry Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $700,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com Marshall Heights Cranberry Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-538-3911 www.marondahomes.com Meadow Ridge Forward Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: S&A Realty 724-538-5001 sahomebuilder.com

40 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

| Winter 2013

Park Place Cranberry Township Traditional neighborhood development Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Ryan Homes 412-639-4980 Park Place Cranberry Township Traditional neighborhood development single-family homes, townhomes, condos, rentals, retail Priced from: $350,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Northwood Realty 724-776-1863

Plantation at Saxonburg Clinton Township Single-family and carriage homes Priced from: Single families $270,000 Carriage homes priced from $180,000’s School district: South Butler Agency: S&A Realty 724-352-5006 sahomebuilder.com The Pointe At Adams Ridge Adams Township Townhomes Priced from: $210,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Ryan Homes 724-776-5610 ryanhomes.com The Preserve West Cranberry Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $550,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com Redmond Place Cranberry Township Custom carriage homes Priced from: $370,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com Sarvers Mill Buffalo Township Single-family homes Priced from: $230,000 School district: Freeport Area Agency: S&A Realty 724-352-5006 sahomebuilder.com Seaton Crest Adams Township Single-family homes Priced from: $350,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: S&A Realty 724-778-3322 sahomebuilder.com Shadow Creek Cranberry Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Century 21 Town & Country Real Estate Services 724-779-2101 PghPropertyOnline.com Shady Lane Farms Center Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Butler Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-283-0005 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Shannon Mills Connoquenessing Township Single-family homes Priced from: $299,000 School district: Butler Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-282-7903 howardhanna.com Taylor Ridge Adams Township Single-family estate homes Priced from: $410,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Ryan Homes 724-625-2073 ryanhomes.com Timber Ridge Lancaster Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $450,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-687-9097 howardhanna.com Timberlee Butler Area Single-family-homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Butler Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-687-0157 howardhanna.com Village at Camp Trees Adams Township in Butler County and Pine Township in Allegheny County Custom single-family Priced from: $550,000 School district: Mars Area and Pine-Richland Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com The Village at Treesdale Adams Township Custom carriage homes Priced from: Mid-$300’s School district: Mars Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-687-0157 howardhanna.com The Vineyards at Brandywine Connoquenessing Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $279,000 School district: Butler Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com The Vineyards at Brandywine Connoquenessing Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $240,000 School district: Butler Area Agency: S&A Realty 724-538-5001 sahomebuilder.com Village of Harmony Junction Jackson Township Townhomes Priced from: $150,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-538-3911 www.marondahomes.com

Apple Hill Canonsburg Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-873-7455 www.marondahomes.com

The Crossings Peters Township Luxury custom villa homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Century 21 Frontier Realty 724-941-8680 EddyHomes.com

Wakefield Estates Cranberry Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $525,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-776-3686 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Brookwood Manor Peters Township Luxury custom estate homes Priced from: $900,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Century 21 Frontier Realty 724-941-8680 EddyHomes.com

Fair Acres Upper St. Clair Custom single-family homes Priced from: Lots, $650,000 School district: Upper St Clair Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-833-7700 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Walkers Ridge Worth Township Farmlettes Priced from: $74,900 School district: Slippery Rock Agency: Northwood Realty 724-458-8800 northwood.com Weatherburn Heights Middlesex Township Single-family homes Priced from: $310,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: Ryan Homes 724-898-0010 ryanhomes.com Wilsons Ridge Single-family homes Priced from: $210,000 School district: Seneca Valley Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-538-3911 www.marondahomes.com Wyncrest Estates Butler Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 Butler Area Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-366-1600 pittsburghmoves.com/wyncrestestates

Alto Piano Cecil Township Single-family homes Priced from: $500,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-302-2304 howardhanna.com Anthony Farms Peters Township Single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-276-5000 howardhanna.com

The Brookview Villas Peters Township Custom villa homes Priced from: $350,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Paragon Homes 412-787-8807 visitparagonhomes.com Cameron Estates South Strabane Township Single-family and carriage homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Trinity Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-0179 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Chadwick Estates Peters Township Single-family homes Priced from: $350,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1736 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Concord Green North Strabane Township Single-family homes Priced from: $330,000 School district: CanonMcMillan Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1730 HeartlandCustomHomes.com The Courtyards At Arden Mills Chartiers Township Single-family carriage and villa homes Priced from: $239,900 School district: Chartiers Houston Agency: Epcon Homes and Communities 724-223-1844 epconcarriagehomes.com

724-776-1863

Great Meadows Meadow Ridge Park Place.indd 1 Peters Township Peters Township Single-family homes Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 Priced from: $774,900 School district: Peters Township School district: PetersTownship Agency: Ryan Homes Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-835-1869 412-833-7700 ryanhomes.com prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Sandy Brae Meadows 2/15/10 12:31:09 PM North Strabane Township Townhomes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-873-7455 www.marondahomes.com

Hamlet of Springdale Peters Township Single-family homes Priced from: $699,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-941-8800

Mission Hills Cecil Township Carriage and villa homes Priced from: $228,500 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Epcon Homes and Communities 724-223-1844 epconcarriagehomes.com

Siena at the Hamlet Peters Township Single-family homes Priced from: $475,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-941-8800 howardhanna.com

Oakbrooke Estates Cecil Township Single-family homes Priced from: $260,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1706 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Strabane Manor South Strabane Township Townhomes Priced from: $160,000 School district: Trinity Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-229-1470 www.marondahomes.com

Orchard Hill Peters Township Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Ryan Homes 412-835-1869 ryanhomes.com

Summerbrooke

The Overlook At Southpointe Cecil Township Single-family homes townhomes and carriage home coming soon Priced from: $290,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Ryan Homes 724-249-6835 ryanhomes.com

The Summit Chartiers Township Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Chartiers-Houston Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-873-7455 www.marondahomes.com

Hiddenbrook Peters Township Villa homes Priced from: $280,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1738 HeartlandCustomHomes.com Hill Station Manor Cecil Township Townhomes or condos Priced from: $259,900 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-873-7355 howardhanna.com Majestic Hills North Strabane Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Ryan Homes 724-745-6410 ryanhomes.com Maple Ridge Cecil Township Townhomes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Ryan Homes 724-745-6064 ryanhomes.com McMurray Highlands Peters Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $575,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 412-833-7700 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

The Overlook at Peters Peters Township Single-family homes Priced from: $450,000 School district: Peters Township Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-941-8800 howardhanna.com Paxton Grove Chartiers Township Single-family-homes School district: Chartiers-Houston Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-222-6040 howardhanna.com

North Strabane Township Single-family homes Priced from: $340,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1719 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

Sycamore Reserve North Franklin Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district:Trinity Agency:Keith Homes 724-223-0285 keithhomes.net Timber Run Cecil Township Single-family homes Priced from: $220,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Ryan Homes 724-745-6410 ryanhomes.com

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

WASHINTON COUNTY

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Brookview Peters Township Carriage homes Priced from: $349,900 School district: Peters Township Agency: Keller Williams 412-831-3800

Park Place

Traditional Neighborhood Development www.cranberryparkplace.com Northwood Realty Services

BUTLER COUNTY

Vista Ridge Adams Township Custom Single-family homes Priced from: $350,000 School district: Mars Area Agency: S&A Realty 724-778-3322 sahomebuilder.com

41

Weavertown Woodlands North Strabane Township Carriage homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency:Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-222-6040 howardhanna.com

WESTMORELAND COUNTY Acropolis Heights Unity Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $620,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

WESTMORELAND COUNTY

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Tuscany Estates Union Township Townhomes, single-family and patiohomes Priced from: $130,000 $180,000 single-family School district: Ringgold Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-348-6472 www.marondahomes.com

42 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

Villages of Waterdam COMING SOON! Peters Township School district: Peters Township Agency: S&A Realty 412-276-0422 sahomebuilder.com Waterdam Farms North Strabane Township Carriage homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services 412-833-5404 pittsburghmoves.com/ waterdamfarms Weavertown Village North Strabane Township Carriage homes and luxury townhomes Priced from: $180,000 School district: Canon-McMillan Agency: Heartland Homes 724-871-1732 HeartlandCustomHomes.com

| Winter 2013

Cedar Hills Rostraver Township Condominiums and villas Priced from: $197,500 School district: Belle Vernon Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-929-7228 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Cherry Knoll Delmont Single-family homes Priced from: $225.000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: ReMax Realty 412-856-2000 ricciuticonstruction.com Cherry Wood Estates Mt. Pleasant Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $225,000 School district: Mount Pleasant Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Allegheny Woodlands Allegheny Township Custom single-family and cottage villas Priced from: low $200,000 single-family and $180,000 cottage villas School district: Kiski Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-339-4000 howardhanna.com

Chestnut Hill North Huntingdon Township Single-family homes Priced from: $240,000 School district: Norwin Agency: Ryan Homes 724-863-3506 ryanhomes.com

The Armory at Ligonier Ligonier Townhouses Priced from: $275,000 School district: Ligonier Valley Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-238-7600 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Everview Estates Ligonier Township Single-family homes Priced from: $299,900 School district: Ligonier Valley Angency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-832-2300

Augusta Penn Township Single-family homes Priced from: Lots, $53,900 School district: Penn-Trafford Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-327-0444 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Foxfield Knoll Unity Township Single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com

Bianca Rose Murrysville Single-family homes Priced from: $395,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com Blackthorne Estates Penn Township Single-family homes Coming soon School district: Penn Trafford Agency: Ryan Homes 724-249-6835 ryanhomes.com Carriage Homes at Stonegate Rostraver Patio homes Priced from: $219,900 School district: Belle Vernon Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Foxtail Court at Rolling Ridge Murrysville Single-family homes Priced from: $600,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com Gleneagles at Cherry Creek Hempfield Township Golf course community patio homes Priced from: $218,000 School district: Hempfield Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Glenn Aire Unity Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $350,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Grandview Estates Hempfield Township Single-family homes Priced from: $180,000 School district: Hempfield Area Agency: Ryan Homes ryanhomes.com Greenfield Estates Unity Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Scalise Real Estate 724-539-3525 Hampton Heights (Formerly Carradam Golf Course) North Huntingdon Township One acre homesites Priced from: $400,000 School district: Norwin Agency: RWS Custom Homes 724-861-0571 rwscustomhomes.com

Hawk Valley Allegheny Township Townhomes Priced from: $120,000 School district: Kiski Area Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-895-3876 www.marondahomes.com Kingsbury North Huntington Township Two-four acre estates Priced from: $450,000 School district: Norwin Agency: RWS Custom Homes 724-861-0571 rwscustomhomes.com Laurel View Place Derry Township Single-family lots Priced from: $49,900 School district: Derry Area Agency: Northwood Realty Services 724-537-0110 northwood.com The Legends North Huntingdon Single-family homes Priced from: $450,000 School district: Norwin Agency: Scalise Homes 724-864-5500 www.scalisehomes.com Lincoln Hills North Huntington Township Single-family homes, townhomes and grand villas Priced from: mid-$300,000 Single-family, $239,900 townhomes and $289,900 grand villas School district: Norwin Agency: RWS Custom Homes 724-861-0571 rwscustomhomes.com

Mallard Landing Murrysville Single-family homes Priced from: $470,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com Marquis Place Murrysville Luxury condominiums Priced from: $275,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Kacin Companies, Inc. 724-327-7700 Meadowlane Heights Hempfield Township Single-family homes Priced from: $180,000’s School district: Hempfield Area Agency: S & A Realty 724-872-8403 sahomebuilder.com Moreland Manor Allegheny Township Single-family homes Priced from: $200,000 School district: Kiski Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 412-478-1002 ricciuticonstruction.com howardhanna.com Northpointe Hempfield Township Custom single-family homes Priced from: $270,000 School district: Hempfield Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Oak Farm Estates Penn Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Penn-Trafford Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Palmer Place Unity Township Custom single-family Priced from: $430,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-832-2300 howardhanna.com Palmer Place Unity Township Custom single-family Priced from: $650,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Renaissance Heights Rostraver Township Single-family homes Priced from: low $200,000 School district: Belle Vernon Area Agency: Maronda Homes, Inc 724-872-7017 www.marondahomes.com Rivendell Penn Township Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 School district: Penn-Trafford Agency: S & A Realty 724-872-8403 sahomebuilder.com Rolling Hill Farm Rostraver Township Single-family homes Priced from: $180,000 School district: Belle Vernon Area Agency: S & A Realty 724-872-8403 sahomebuilder.com Rolling Ridge Murrysville Single-family homes Priced from: $380,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Ryan Homes 724-793-4797 ryanhomes.com Salem Ridge Village Rostraver Township Single-family Priced from: $225,000 School district: Belle Vernon Area Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Siena Ridge Murrysville Single-family homes Priced from : $600,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com Summerhill Murrysville Patio townhomes, stacked flats School district: Franklin Regional Priced from: $249,900 Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com Tinstman Estates Scottdale Single-family home lots Priced from: $35,900 School district: Southmoreland Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Victoria Highlands Unity Township Single-family homes Priced from: $290,000 School district: Latrobe Agency: Bob Shuster Realty 724-864-8884 rwscustomhomes.com

Village at Foxfield Unity Township Single-family homes Priced from: $210,000’s School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: S & A Realty 724-872-8403 sahomebuilder.com The Village of Foxfield Unity Township Single-family homes Priced from: $250,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com The Village at Ligonier Ligonier Borough Villas Priced from: $208,900 School district: Ligonier Valley Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-238-7600 prudentialpreferredrealty.com The Village at Stonegate Penn Township Villas Priced from: $264,900 School district: Penn-Trafford Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 or 724-327-0444 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Villages At Totteridge Salem Township Single-family homes Priced from: $239,900 Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com The Villas at Grayhawk Unity Township Villa style condominiums Priced from: $239,900 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Cedar Ridge Realty 724-832-3501 thevillasatgrayhawk.com The Villas of Willow Estates North Huntington Townhomes and grand villas Priced from: $239,900 and $289,900 School district: Norwin Agency: RWS Custom Homes 724-861-0571 rwscustomhomes.com

Westmoreland Community Action Reed Avenue Jeannette Single-family homes Priced from: $63,000 School district: Jeannette City Agency: Northwood Realty 724-838-9643 northwood.com Westmoreland Farms Murrysville Single-family homes Priced from: $230,000 School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Ryan Homes 724-793-4797 ryanhomes.com Westmoreland Farms Murrysville Single-family homes and villas Priced from: $229,900 single-family; $176,900 villas School district: Franklin Regional Agency: Howard Hanna Real EstateServices 724-327-5161 howardhanna.com Westmoreland Human Opportunities Monessan Single-family homes Priced from: $70,000 School district: Monessen Agency: Northwood Realty 724-838-9643 northwood.com Westwind Estates Hempfield Township Single-family homes Priced from: $247,000 School district: Hempfield Area Agency: Ryan Homes 724-836-1804 ryanhomes.com Willow Estates North Huntington Single-family homes Priced from: $270,000 School district: Norwin Agency: S & A Realty 724-872-8403 sahomebuilder.com

WESTMORELAND COUNTY

Harrington Way at Wendover Hempfield Township Single-family homes Priced from: $249,900 School district: Hempfield Area Agency: Northwood Realty 724-327-5600 northwood.com

Lindwood Crest Hempfield Township Patio homes Priced from: $189,900 School district: Hempfield Area Agency: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 724-832-2300 howardhanna.com

Yok Wood Ridge Unity Township Single-family homes Priced from: $190,000 School district: Greater Latrobe Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 724-838-3660 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

Westmoreland Community Action Jeannette Single-family homes Priced from: $75,000 School district: Jeannette City Agency: Northwood Realty 724-838-9643 northwood.com

www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com

43

OTHER COUNTIES

Greene County Colonial Place Franklin Township Single-family homesites Priced from: $28,000 School district: Waynesburg Agency: Northwood Realty 724-627-4300 northwood.com

Lawrence County Volant Highlands Washington Township Single-family home sites Priced from: $27,900 School district: Wilmington Area Agency: Northwood Realty 724-658-6645 northwood.com

WESTMORELAND COUNTY

Carriage Hills Pulaski Township Single-family lots Priced from:$35,000 School district: Wilmington Area Agency: Northwood Realty Services 724-658-6645 northwood.com Valleyview Heights Pulaski Township Single-family lots Priced from: $35,000 School district: Wilmington Area Agency: Northwood Realty Services 724-658-6645 northwood.com

Mercer County Camelot Estates Hermitage Single-family homes Priced from: Lots starting at $29,900 Agency: Northwood Realty 724-981-9771 northwood.com Legends of Grove City Pine Township Villas, patio homes and Single-family homes Priced from: $184,900 School district: Grove City Agency: Northwood Realty 724-458-8800 northwood.com Pierce Bluffs Hermitage Single-family homes Priced from: Last phase, lots at $49,000 Agency: Northwood Realty 724-981-9771 northwood.com

44 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME

| Winter 2013

Somerset County Condos at North Summit Hidden Valley Township Priced from: $325,000 School district: Somerset Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 800-244-3777 prudentialpreferredrealty.com Green Tee Hidden Valley Township Single-family homes Priced from: $300,000 School district: Somerset Agency: Prudential Preferred Realty 800-244-3777 prudentialpreferredrealty.com

www.donsappliances.com www.hillmonappliance.com 310 Commerce Park Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 724.779.9393

5958 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 412.661.7550 Norman Center II, Upper St. Clair, PA 412.835.2300 2335 Washington Road, Canonsburg, PA 724.916.0100

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Do you need to refinance, buy a new home or make home improvements?

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• Fixed or Adjustable Rate Mortgage • Reverse Mortgage

Stop in to a nearby office where our experts are non-commissioned and will focus solely on providing the right loan for you.

Visit dollarbank.com/loans for details or call 1-800-242-BANK (2265).

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