Nearly 150 years ago, George Nobel, a principal in an upholstering company, built a truly grand home at 223 Grandview Ave. on Mount Washington for his wife and two children. 

It still stands today as a pristine example of Second Empire architecture, an eclectic mid- to late 19th-century style related to Italianate that flourished in France under Napoleon III.

Current owners Paul and Joyce Renne have listed the house for $2,799,900 (MLS No. 1603841) with Heather Kaczorowski of Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty (www.sothebysrealty.com or 412-608-5331). 

The Rennes are only the third family to have lived on the estate since it was built in 1874. Not only is it the oldest house on Grandview but it has the largest lot and a spectacular view overlooking Downtown and the North Shore.It also features a pool as the centerpiece of a manicured, landscaped garden.

“The pool was used a lot when our children were younger,” she said. 

The children are grown and have moved on and their parents are ready to downsize. “It’s just a lot of house for two people,” she said.

With 4,000 square feet of living space including four bedrooms and 3½ baths, there was plenty of room for her family of four to spread out. They enjoyed the luxury of space the home’s second owners may have initially lacked.

Junius McCormick, a Civil War solider, bought the property in 1885 and lived there with his 12 children by three different wives. After he and his third wife passed away, several generations of family members continued to live in the home for 100 years. 

It was then purchased by another family who did some renovation work, such as carpeting and painting, but they ended up putting it on the market before ever moving in. The Rennes bought it in 1992.

“It was in great shape when we bought it,” she said.

All the original windows, doors and woodwork are a testament to that. 

“The front door is original. It was handmade and, if you look at it, you can see the variations,” she said. “Everyone who has owned this house took really good care of it.”

She gave the home a more European flair using local craftsmen and artisans.

“Back in the days when it was built, they would use local people or traveling artists and give them room and board to do different things around the home,” she said.  “Actually, one of the mantels in the house was done that way.”

A local man who did paint finishing on Jaguar automobiles was one of the many craftsmen who worked on the details of the home.

“He came in and did all the mantel tops and the big, long counter in the hallway under the mirror. They are like glass, the paint is so smooth,” she noted.

There is a spectacular view from the front porch of the city and North Shore stadiums, and yet when you are in the garden, it is like being transported to a quiet European sanctuary.

“With the fountain and the cistern running, you don’t hear the sounds of the city,” she said. 

Over the years, the Rennes have entertained people from all over the world.

“Without exception, whether they were French or Spanish or Russian, as soon as they would move into the backyard, they would always say ‘I feel like I am home,’” she said.

There is a two-car garage with a heated driveway.

From the street, the home is deceiving, looking more like a Victorian cottage than the very spacious residence that it is. 

“When you open the front door and see those 14-foot ceilings, it is not what you expect,” she said. “I used every square inch. That is what I try to do when I do a project, utilize everything.”

One of her favorite things to do was sit on the front porch on Sundays when the Steelers were playing.

“The city is completely silent. You can hear a pin drop because everybody is either at the game or at home watching it,” she said.  “When the Steelers score, you hear this noise that moves down the river and up the side of the mountain. It is really incredible.”

The couple bought and renovated other properties on Mount Washington while they were living here. Now Mrs. Renne is looking forward to a new challenge and another decorating project.

“We are just ready for a change,” she said. “It is a wonderful house and served us so well for so very long.”

The Allegheny County property assessment is $525,900. Over the last three years, four homes have sold in the 200 block of Grandview Avenue for prices ranging from $465,000 in June 2022 to $1.46 million in April 2022 (www2.alleghenycounty.us/RealEstate/GeneralInfo.aspx?)

Patricia Sheridan: psheridan@post-gazette.com.

First Published: June 9, 2023, 9:30 a.m.