Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette The dining area of the home on South 16th Street, South Side, is brightened by floor-to-ceiling windows. Click photo for larger image. More information For more information on 100 S. 16th St., South Side, contact Leesa Belt-Haglund, Howard Hanna Real Estate, at 412-952-2458 or go to www.howardhanna.com, MLS No. 655281.

Pittsburgh's South Side is nothing if not eclectic, with everything from cool artists' lofts to modest 19th-century row houses to painstakingly restored Victorians.

Even so, the high-tech custom home at the corner of South 16th and Roland streets, now on the market for $895,000 through Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, manages to surprise.

Besides its unusual exterior, the house is one of the few in this Mon Valley neighborhood with a price tag approaching $1 million.

Realtor Leesa Belt-Haglund says that shouldn't be a big surprise. As is often the case with neighborhoods in transition, house prices have started to creep up in the now trendy South Side. New developments such as Windom Hill Place, 15th Street Glassworks, Riverside Mews and Angel's Arms all feature units costing $500,000 or more, and even fixer-uppers can command prices in the mid hundreds.

"Everything's getting up there," Ms. Belt-Haglund says.

Owner Todd Nelson says he has more than $1 million invested in the three-bedroom house, which less than a year ago was little more than a dry-walled shell.

Today, it's a paragon of comfort and convenience, with the requisite state-of-the-art granite kitchen and a spa-like master bath. The 3,000-square-foot residence, which replaced a parking lot and garage, also includes such high-tech treats as a dual-door hydraulic elevator, radiant heat floors and computer-controlled window blinds that keep up with the sun.

"It's finished with the best of the best," Ms. Belt-Haglund says. "There's nothing else like it."

"It's not intended to be your basic four-bedroom suburban house," agrees Mr. Nelson, president of Combest, an Atlanta-based communications software company.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette The contemporary home's exterior is clad in Parklex, a high-density, wood-resin material imported from Spain that is impervious to moisture and sunlight. Click photo for larger image.

One of the first clues is the house's siding. Built to be as low-maintenance as possible, the three-story house is clad in Parklex, a high-density, wood-resin material imported from Spain. These laminated panels have the look of wood (in this case, teak) but are impervious to moisture, extreme sunlight and termites.

A brick "cut-out" on the side facing Roland Street visually links the house to the two-story former funeral home next door that Bill and Susan McCoy converted into a single-family house a few years ago. The connection is meant to evoke history: Mr. Nelson's house replaced a parking lot and garage that served the funeral home for many years. It was so dilapidated when the McCoys purchased the property in 2003 that you couldn't safely go inside.

Dutch McDonald of EDGE studio had already come up with the basic layout (three bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths) when Mr. Nelson, an Atlanta native, purchased the property last May. Walls were all it had.

"There weren't even floors," Mr. Nelson says.

Having already renovated three other homes, he welcomed the challenge of turning the shell into a very urban-looking home. Adding to its appeal was the "Bohemian" nature of this side of town, what with all the funky bars, restaurants and shops within walking distance. Mr. Nelson worked with Mrs. McCoy, an interior designer and principal of Paolozzi Designs, to come up with an ultra-sleek design that focuses on color and simple shapes and materials. The house is so visually arresting that it was chosen to appear on HGTV's "What You Get for the Money" sometime this summer.

One of its most distinctive details is the eco-friendly, two-toned bamboo flooring throughout. The high-ceilinged, open floor plan -- a boon to people who love to entertain -- also includes designer lighting, custom built-ins, granite sills on all of the windows and brushed stainless-steel covers on every electrical outlet.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette An open layout gives the living room a spacious ambience. Click photo for larger image.

The kitchen boasts a 36-inch Wolf range with wall-mounted pot filler, built-in Jenn Air oven and microwave, and the granddaddy of all refrigerators: a stainless-steel Sub-Zero PRO 48. There's also a tiered center island topped with Juparanta Golden Sun granite and cabinets of cherry and birch, creating visual contrast.

The dining area is defined by seven floor-to-ceiling Traco commercial windows that, when the translucent Hunter Douglas blinds are raised, fill the room with light and offer a glimpse of the hustle and bustle of East Carson Street. Hanging over the table like a mobile is a Rhapsody chandelier from Tech Lighting. A whimsical swirl of chrome and glass, it features 15 frosted lamps tipped on the ends with paper.

In the main stairwell, a second chandelier with seven free-floating arms suspended by cables hangs over the two-story foyer. Tom Lennon of Woodland Wood Products in Etna created the custom entertainment center that anchors the adjacent living room and holds the two-sided corner fireplace.

The guest quarters lie behind the kitchen and include two bedrooms connected by a Jack and Jill bath. In an attempt to infuse the rooms with an even light, Mrs. McCoy created twig-like "creeping" lights on the ceiling.

The bath has imported Italian Feel tiles and Iron Red granite countertops that were so large that Premier Granite & Stone of Carnegie had to go to Ohio to have them cut. Each side also has its own commode behind a set of privacy doors.

The 32-by-18-foot master suite is at the top of an aluminum staircase and once again, no expense was spared in making it comfortable. One corner holds a sprawling desk crafted by Mr. Lennon with a built-in AMSEC safe; there's also a built-in shelving unit with bookcases flanking a pair of Sub-Zero refrigerator drawers. Doors open onto a private 450-square-foot deck with Galvalum rails and composite decking that overlooks the neighboring rooftops.

Adequate closet space can be an issue in some urban dwellings, but that's not the case here. The adjoining walk-in closet/dressing area is larger than many people's bedrooms. It's so big, in fact, that there's room enough for a sink, full-length mirror and a pair of Kenmore's front-loading HE4t washer and dryer.

The pampering continues in the master bath, where one can choose between a deep Jacuzzi tub with waterfall faucet and a walk-in glass shower with a row of body jets and rain showerhead. The luxurious space also has the same heated Italian tile floors and granite counters found in the guest bath, plus a double vessel sink vanity with steam-free mirrors.

Some details are so small that you almost don't notice them; the grout Ed Krist used to piece together the granite wall mosaic he created next to the shower perfectly matches the different colored stone.

The home also includes multi-zoned heating and cooling with ultraviolet air purification and humidifier and a central vacuum system. A two-car integral garage and two additional spaces in the driveway guarantees you'll never have to search the neighborhood's congested streets for a parking space. In addition, every room has been wired for cable, phone and sound.

In a neighborhood that's renowned for sense of history, this ultra-hip residence stands out, says Ms. Belt-Haglund.

"There's nothing else like it. It's an iconic property. Everyone knows it."

---

Correction/Clarification: (Published April 28, 2007) This story about a house for sale at South 16th and Roland streets, South Side as originally published April 21, 2007, misspelled the name of tile installer Ed Krist of O'Hara.