Serpent Gate Cottage: 223 Grandview Avenue | The Heather Kaczorowski Team

223 Grandview Avenue

PITTSBURGH, PA 15211

Welcoming you behind the gates for the first time in over 30 years, you must not miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity. This gilded age, second-empire estate offers rare city privacy and breathtaking views of Downtown Pittsburgh. Built in 1874, this is the oldest home and largest lot on legendary Grandview Avenue, one of the most famous and soughtafter locations in all of Western PA. The current owners hired the finest craftsman to restore this home inch-by-inch, creating an experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen on the city market. As you enter through the gates, you are immediately surrounded by lush greenery; you will feel as if you have left the city behind. The large front porch gives you magnificent views of the city in all directions. Mounted on either side of the original front door hang two breathtaking oversized, hand-forged gilded lanterns.

Inside, you will be in total awe of the elaborate details of this 4,000 sq. ft. residence. The entry features 14 ft. ceilings and beautifully restored original hardwood floors, as well as 3 of the estate’s 38 chandeliers and sconces sourced from around the world. The main floor consists of a stunning library enhanced with gold leafing gilded by Pittsburgh-based artist Youssef Kadri; a living room with a breathtaking platinum medallion and one of four working fireplaces; a large dining room with antique mirrors adorning its walls, perfect for hosting large dinner parties; a large TV room leading to a private back porch which looks down on the backyard gardens, and a custom high-end kitchen with Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, double bullnose granite countertops with matching backsplash, and handmade cabinets reaching to the ceiling. The opulence continues onto the second floor, where you will find four spacious bedrooms, two full baths, and unobstructed views of the city.

On the lower level, you will find a garden room with atrium-style windows looking out onto the incredible backyard retreat which truly makes this property a one-of-one. The current owners wanted to create a European garden and they achieved it in every respect, from the lush gardens to the antique iron fountain, the gurgling cistern, and the custom stonework done by an Italian stone mason. There is also an outdoor kitchen with an old world wood/gas hybrid stone oven which will make you feel as though you have been transported to the European countryside. Moving deeper into the back yard, there’s an in-ground, heated cement pool with a copper filtration system. The driveway has a snow melt system and, with the flick of a switch, you will never have to shovel snow. A two-car, heated garage with a full bathroom and an attic sits at the driveway’s end. An automatic, elegant goldleafed iron gate is located at its entrance. This home is one you must experience in person to truly appreciate all of its beauty and grandeur.

History of 223 Grandview Avenue

George Noble, a partner in a Downtown Pittsburgh upholstering business, and his wife, Mary Emma Noble, had 223 Grandview Avenue constructed in 1874. 223 Grandview Avenue was built in the popular Second Empire style on what was then known as High Street. The house’s construction followed the annexation of the borough of Mount Washington into the city of Pittsburgh by two years.

George and Mary Emma Noble and their two children, Mary L. and William F., lived at 223 Grandview Avenue between 1874 and 1885. The Nobles then lived elsewhere on Mount Washington and in Shadyside, and left Pittsburgh in the late 1890’s.

Junius A. McCormick purchased 223 Grandview Avenue in 1886. McCormick, a Civil War veteran with 12 children by three wives, was then the owner of what was known as a general machinery depot, which sold hydraulic equipment, pumps, engines, and other heavy machinery on First Avenue, Downtown. McCormick, who rose from poverty after working 12-hour shifts in a Pittsburgh glass factory at age nine, was also a part owner of gold mines and tin mines while living at 223 Grandview Avenue. McCormick and his wife also sold the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh the property on which Saint Mary of the Mount Church was built.

Junius A. McCormick lived at 223 Grandview Avenue until his death in 1913, and his widow, Agatha, lived in the house until her death about 14 years later. 223 Grandview Avenue was owned by members of the McCormick family until 1986, 100 years after Junius A. McCormick purchased the house.