Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette The original fireplace and china cabinets were retained in the first floor condo in the new Elwick Street Flats on Elwick Street in Sewickley. The room was originally a huge dining room in the 1890s home.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Big houses with four or five bedrooms are often the rule in turn-of-the-century neighborhoods such as Sewickley. And while that might appeal to young families or buyers with a "bigger is better" mentality, it's too much room for most people. Empty nesters and independent singles, in particular, are often looking to downsize.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette The new Elwick Street Flats on Elwick Street in Sewickley. Click photo for larger image. More information For more information on Elwick Street Flats, 251 Elwick St., Sewickley, contact Pat Casella, Prudential Preferred Realty, at 412-741-6312.

But what if you'd like to stay in the old neighborhood, or don't like the look of a brand-new townhouse? Sewickley-based developer Monroe "Rody" Nash, owner of TerraForma Inc., has a solution.

Elwick Street Flats, his new three-unit condo development on Elwick Street in Sewickley, offers the convenience of condominium living (no maintenance worries) along with the amenities you expect in an upscale residence, including state-of-the-art kitchens, working fireplaces and private, outdoor terraces. And it's all together in an elegant, three-story home dating from the 1890s, just a few blocks from the village's shopping district.

The largest of the three two-bedroom units, a 2,635-square-foot space on the first floor with a wrap-around terrace, sold before Christmas to a retired couple from Edgeworth. The others are still available and should be ready for move-in by June 1.

The 2,460-square foot unit on the second floor is priced by Prudential Preferred Realty's Sewickley office at $625,000, and boasts a 36- by 20-foot living/dining room with views of the Sewickley Bridge from two built-in window seats. The slightly smaller third-floor residence, which has vaulted ceilings and measures 2,013 square feet, is being offered for $575,000. Both units include two parking spaces in an integral garage, storage in the basement and a large elevator that opens directly into the residence or the public hall. The monthly condo fee is $333.

Many of Sewickley's older homes have been lovingly maintained over the years. Not so with the shingled structure at 251 Elwick. Cut up into seven apartments sometime in the 1940s, the once-gracious home had slowly deteriorated. By the time Mr. Nash bought it in December 2004, nearly everything needed to be "done," from the roof to the internal mechanics to the foundation.

"It was really on its last legs," he says.

Not that it worried him. Sewickley Mews, the 10-unit condo project he developed across the street from Sewickley Academy in 2002, had been a success.

In renovating the Elwick Street house into three units, Mr. Nash ended up gutting it and installing new foundations and floor support. He also put on a new roof with copper gutters and architectural shingles and installed Andersen windows and a high-efficiency Lennox furnace. There's also a Guardian security and fire alarm system and video intercom at the front door.

While the house was large, it wasn't quite large enough to house three luxury condos. So, working off a design by Ligo Architects, Mr. Nash expanded the building by 20 feet on the right side, allowing for more interior space, a six-car garage with radiant-heat floors and several porches. There's also a common backyard that offers a glimpse of the Ohio River. Originally, says Mr. Nash, the property stretched all the way to the train tracks.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette The first-floor condo of the Elwick Street Flats has a wide-open living room/dining area. Click photo for larger image.

Sheathed in chocolate-brown shingles, with hunter-green windows, the house today exudes all the charm and elegance of Victorian times. But it is set up for modern living. The third-floor unit, in particular, has a decidedly modern feel. The elevator deposits visitors into a great room that's brightened by a soaring, 19-foot cathedral ceiling and two sets of casement windows. Four electric skylights and natural-colored cork floors, which act as a natural acoustic insulator, add to the airy feel.

When the unit is finished, says Mr. Nash, one wall of the great room will be filled with bookshelves. There will also be a desk area to the left of the new gas fireplace and a separate sitting nook. The gourmet-style kitchen, which opens onto a 20- by 20-foot deck, will feature cherry cabinetry and heat- and scratch-resistant quartz countertops. Chefs will appreciate the stainless-steel DCS appliances (especially the dual-fuel range) and Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer.

The guest bedroom comes with a private bath and two skylights. Completely wired, it could also be used as a home office. The carpeted master bedroom has a large walk-in closet with automatic lights and a bath with twin vanities, skylight and walk-in shower. French doors open on a covered porch overlooking Elwick Street, and there's also a small alcove for reading.

The other unit is much more traditional, featuring the original fireplace with ceramic tile hearth in the living room. The ceilings are 10 1/2 feet high, and there's also new light-colored oak floors and recessed lighting. The living/dining room has a large gas fireplace at the front of the house, with an alcove to the right for an armoire or built-in. French doors open onto a covered porch facing Elwick Street with waterproof aluminum LockDry decking.

The 30- by 22-foot kitchen/great room will have a gas fireplace and cherry island with quartz counter tops and stainless-steel Dacor appliances. A pair of columns will set off the separate sitting area, which opens onto a 30- by 7-foot covered balcony overlooking the driveway. Like to barbecue? This spacious outdoor space is outfitted with a gas line.

The guest quarters are at the front of the house and include a private bath with white subway tile and a bedroom with its original decorative fireplace and light-pink ceramic tile hearth. Three large windows ensure plenty of light.

The master bedroom suite, nestled behind the kitchen, also has an original decorative fireplace. More modern touches include his-and-her closets and a large walk-in closet/laundry with stackable washer and dryer. The extra-large bath will have half-height marble walls; the marble floors will be warmed by electric radiant heat panels. But the crowning touch in this elegant bath is one of the home's original clawfoot tubs, where a bather could look out over the backyard through three large windows.