One of the charms of an older suburb is its enduring sense of place and history. Just as appealing is the fact most turn-of-the-century communities -- unlike today's cookie-cutter developments -- also boast a variety of architectural styles. The borough of Edgewood, founded in 1888, is a perfect example.

Lake Fong, Post-Gazette This six-bedroom Dutch Colonial on Maple Avenue in Edgewood was built in 1910. Click photo for larger image. More information There will be an open house at 437 Maple Ave., Edgewood, from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and from 2 to 4 p.m. next Sunday. For more information, contact Sharon Kossis, Help-U-Sell MMC Realty, at 412-521-1800. You can view additional photos at www.helpusell.com/MMCRealty, MLS# 656789.

This small municipality to the east of Pittsburgh, designated a historic district in 1998 by the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, may measure less than one square mile. But it still boasts everything from snug Arts and Crafts bungalows and gingerbread Victorians to stately Georgians and Colonials.

Two homes that illustrate the variety and style of Edgewood's housing stock have recently come on the market, at two very different prices. A beautifully renovated brick-and-shingle Dutch Colonial at 437 Maple Ave., built in 1910, features six bedrooms and a landscaped back yard. It is being marketed by Help-U-Sell Real Estate in Squirrel Hill for $549,900. A three-story clapboard Victorian at 412 Locust St., constructed sometime near the turn of the 20th century, also has five bedrooms but is in need of some work, both inside and out. It is priced by Howard Hanna's Shadyside office at $249,900.

Both homes, just around the block from one another, are within walking distance of the Edgewood Primary School and C.C. Mellor Memorial Library, as well as the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.

Characterized by a broad gambrel roof with flaring eaves, Dutch Colonials are something of a rare sight in Pittsburgh -- all the more so when they're as large and elegantly outfitted as the one on Maple Avenue. Altogether, the home boasts about 5,400 square feet of living space over four levels, most of which is brightened by the residence's 50-plus windows.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Above: The dining room of 437 Maple Ave. in Edgewood features custom oak built-ins at the corners. Below: The living room of the Maple Avenue home has a woodburning fireplace and leaded-glass French doors, at left, that look out to the front yard. Click photos for larger image.

Sadly, the wrap-around porch that originally hugged the front of the house is long gone. But many other original details remain, including the leaded-glass entrance, oak floors, paneled interior doors, elaborate crown molding and an exquisite stained-glass window on the first-floor landing. In addition, each of the rooms has its original fireplace with a distinct mantel and surround. Updates include all new windows, central air and four new baths.

A pair of white columns subtly separate the foyer from the formal living room, giving the space an elegant feel. Adding to the room's appeal is a wood-burning fireplace with a slate hearth and white-painted mantel and a pair of leaded-glass French doors that offer a view of the front yard. A matching set of doors brighten the formal dining room, which features custom oak built-ins at the corners.

The family room off the main staircase has a tongue-and-groove coffered ceiling and, under the windows, built-in bookcases that run the width of the room. There's also a large brick fireplace that's been converted to gas and a large bay window overlooking a massive deck.

The eat-in kitchen is more contemporary, with white cabinetry edged in wood, red clay-tile floors and Corian countertops. The white tiled range hood over the Jenn-Air cooktop matches the tilework that turned the original brick cooking fireplace into a storage space. Other amenities include double wall ovens and a center island with twin sinks, and an adjoining mud room/butler's pantry overlooking the back yard.

The second floor holds four bedrooms connected by a large center hall. The two-room master suite faces the street and has a private bath with a glass-block shower and a stainless-steel vanity; a bedroom across the hall opens onto a windowed solarium. The third floor has two more bedrooms and a walk-in linen cedar linen closet with its original drawers and cabinets. More storage is available in the carpeted basement, which includes a climate-controlled wine cellar.

The private, park-like back yard includes weeping cherry, flowering crabapple and dogwood trees and is partially shaded by a 200-year-old pin oak. There's also a Japanese garden behind a row of hemlocks and, on the deck, a hot tub covered by a gazebo.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette The house at 412 Locust St. was built near the turn of the 20th century. Click photo for larger image. More information For more information about 412 Locust St., Edgewood, contact Tom Cahill, Howard Hanna Real Estate, at 412-361-4000, or visit www.howardhanna.com, MLS# 650757.

The chocolate-brown Victorian one block over on Locust Street also has its charms, including a beamed ceiling in the living room and exposed brick in the kitchen. Yet there's a reason the century-old home is being sold "as is" -- a true handyman's special in which nearly every room could use some work.

The first floor is distinguished by oak floors, tall ceilings and painted white woodwork. The largest room -- the living room -- measures 12 by 29 feet and includes a bay window overlooking the covered porch. Thanks to a large wood-burning fireplace in the middle of the room that's set on an angle, however, it could easily be set up as two spaces. The adjacent dining room has French doors that lead to a nice-sized deck with lattice walls and a view of the small back yard and one-car detached garage at the end of the driveway. There's also a separate pantry and a powder room.

Red tile floors and slatted-wood cabinets lend a rustic appeal to the kitchen. It opens onto a small breakfast room with a slanted roof that's brightened by a pair of skylights. A side door takes visitors to a small patio under the shade of large trees.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette The first floor of the Locust Street home features a fireplace set at an angle and bay windows overlooking the front porch. Click photo for larger image.

Three bedrooms with large closets make up the second floor. The master bedroom has its own bath and a built-in headboard; the bedroom facing the street has a large window seat and twin closets with louvered doors on either side of the window. A small landing to the attic has room enough for a desk and bookcases, making it the perfect spot for a home office or homework station.

The attic offers additional living space, with a large main room that's heated by a wood stove, a full bath and a separate bedroom in front with a skylight. There's also a small deck off the back, and near the stove, a rickety wooden staircase that winds its way to a partially finished storage space under the eaves.