PHOTOS BY DYLAN GENTHNER, EXPOSURE IT

Situated in the heart of the Mexican War Streets on the North Side, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse is turnkey ready — and waiting for someone new to call it home. 

Built in 1893 by the Searight family, 1213 Resaca Place is listed for $515,000. It has been lovingly updated while retaining much of its original charm. From ornately carved woodwork and stone fireplaces to exposed brick walls, the 3,800 square foot home is a perfect example of Gilded Age construction with contemporary updates. 

Current owners Todd Eckert and Kelly Smith raised three kids in the house, which is situated blocks from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, the National Aviary, Gus and Yiayia’s, and the Allegheny branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The family has also enjoyed the home’s proximity to Allegheny Commons Park and its many festivals and events. 

“We chose to buy a house without a yard because of the gorgeous park a block away,” says Smith. “Between the fabulous playground, the ducks and geese at the pond, and so many other families in this family-friendly neighborhood, we found that we just didn’t need a yard. Plus, nothing to take care of.” 

Eckert says when they bought the home in 2003, it was divided up into several apartments. The couple restored the home almost entirely to its original state, albeit with a few exceptions. Eckert says the Mexican tile in the kitchen, while lovely, does not fit with the period and design of the house. 

“The concrete made it impossible to remove, so it stayed,” he says. 

Smith adds that while the home is now a single-family residence, all three apartment mailboxes remain in the vestibule to serve as both art and a reminder of the home’s storied history. 

The couple notes how when they first moved in, a few longtime residents shared tales of Prohibition — and the home’s role in bucking the system. 

“The Searight’s grocery store next door sold alcohol out of their basement,” says Smith. “During inspections or raids, they would hide the alcohol in our basement and cover their door behind some shelves.” 

In the 1950s, Roberto Clemente’s best friend lived on the street, according to Eckert. 

“Every Sunday, if the weather was nice, they would barbecue on the street and Clemente would play catch with the kids,” he says. 

The couple continued to make history — and art — in the home while raising their children. Both owners have prolific careers in the performing arts, and many standout pieces have been created within the art-covered walls of 1232 Resaca Place. 

Performances conceived at the home have been presented at places as far afield as the Cannes Film Festival as well as just a few blocks away at the community’s New Hazlett Theater and Downtown’s Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 

As for the day-to-day details of living in this space, the next owners will not be lacking in luxury, says realtor Danielle Graham Robinson of Berkshire Hathaway. 

“It is stunning, solid, and full of history, contradictions and mystery,” she says. “It lets in spectacular amounts of light but has some dark corners. It has a grandeur about it but still retains a certain humility that makes it cozy enough to actually live in.” 

Robinson loves that the original, intricately carved banister is worn smooth from decades of hands running up and down it. Skylights, updated by the current owners, make the space feel airy and open. A working dumbwaiter is both convenient and charming, and the large laundry room makes up for the lack of a garage; it’s big enough that the owners can store bikes and other outdoor gear in it. 

Each room is freshly painted with gleaming, well-maintained woodwork. Between the details of the home and the history behind it, Robinson says no other listing of hers has ever felt quite so iconic. 

“It’s like if the North Side was a house,” she says. 

Eckert and Smith hope the next owners enjoy the home’s vibes as much as they did, and they also hope they find connections in the community; frequent stoop parties aren’t an uncommon event on Resaca Place.

“The neighbors are so friendly and kind without being nebby,” Smith says with a laugh. “I’m originally from Texas, and this Pittsburghese is still weird to me.” 

About: Central North Side
Population: 2,686
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Residents of the Mexican War Streets in Pittsburgh’s Central North Side neighborhood enjoy easy access to all of the city’s main arteries. From this home, residents can also catch regular Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses and can walk or bus to the North Side’s T stops. It’s also a 20-minute drive to the airport via Interstate 376.
Schools: Pittsburgh Public Schools (pghschools.org)
Neighborhood: The Central North Side neighborhood is an extremely walkable and pedestrian-friendly community with abundant restaurants, coffee shops, bars and retail stores. There’s a farmer’s market on Friday nights and regular festivals that bring entertainment and vendors to the community. There are two public elementary schools in the Central North Side neighborhood that residents can walk to as well. Other community destinations include multiple museums, the National Aviary and Randyland. 

Neighborhood data provided by Niche.