This Dormont house for sale is full of historical details

Have you ever considered leaving a note on the front door of a house you love, hoping that its owners might be about to sell? Or perhaps they could be nudged to do so earlier than planned? This personalized approach has helped friends and colleagues to find their dream home.

Sometimes a house truly does call to you, from up on a hill, down the street, around a winding bend. In the case of 2740 Glenmore Ave. in Dormont, the stateful stucco house first captured my attention when I was a teenager visiting friends who lived across the street. Today, it’s a highlight on neighborhood walks with our Labrador Retriever Casper.

“Recently, transferees into the region have recognized the value and architectural detail of Dormont homes without the hefty price tags of similar houses in the neighborhoods north, south and east of the city, such as Squirrel Hill, Lawrenceville, the Strip District and Mt. Lebanon,” says Bob Dini, the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices listing agent for 2740 Glenmore. 

The home, which was listed at $595,000, went on the market on Sept. 14, and a sale is pending.

Wood, light, land

One of the most distinctive homes in Dormont, the 4-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom property sits on a tranquil .45-acre parcel surrounded by majestic London plane trees.

Stepping into 2740 Glenmore — set back from the leafy sidewalk — you immediately sense the attention, love and preservation that its owners invested into the home over the decades. The intricate latticework of the front porch, the Craftsman-style dormers and the wooden shutters are painted black, providing a dynamic contrast to the white stucco. 

The spacious foyer — grand but also warm and welcoming — is an impressive gathering spot providing open views to the surrounding rooms and showcasing the breathtaking woodwork of the grand staircase. The entire home boasts original woodwork throughout, with each room possessing a character of its own, while also tying together the architectural elements and design aesthetic.

The sizable living room impresses with conferred ceilings, a marble fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and two sets of French doors leading to the fully enclosed sunroom. Bathed in natural light with tile flooring, this year-round porch space could double as a den, office or family room.

Ideal for entertaining, the large dining room includes a built-in china cabinet, fireplace and sconce lighting. The galley kitchen is equipped with solid maple KraftMaid cabinets, new granite countertops, a suite of stainless-steel appliances and a large pantry. A rear foyer connects the kitchen to the back porch.

Original architectural embellishments delight throughout, such as a butler’s staircase, cozy phone bank nook, brass and glass doorknobs, laundry chute, custom skeleton keys and intercom system. Decorative lighting reflects the period of the home’s construction.

Decorative lighting at 2740 Glenmore Ave. in Dormont. Photos by Jennifer Baron.

Ascending the wide central staircase is a thrill leading to the sizable second-floor landing. A visual showstopper is the massive vertical mirror made from a church door with ornate wood trim that was custom-built for the stairwell. The hallway contains a double-wide linen closet that adds functionality.

The four bedrooms have beautifully maintained pine floors and double-pane windows. You don’t have to worry about your wardrobe in this house because all four bedrooms contain two closets each, and two of them boast light-filled walk-in closets. Plus, there’s access to a second-floor deck area from two bedrooms.

Updates include a new roof, 200-amp electric service, and bathroom replicating the 1920s-era herringbone pattern of the original subway tile. Interior plastering updates have been completed and the home contains two forced-air furnaces and central air.

Rare for Dormont, the property features a three-car detached garage with original sliding doors, built to match the home’s stucco style, along with an 87-foot-long driveway to accommodate numerous vehicles for family gatherings.

The meticulously cared for unfinished basement level has an iconic Pittsburgh potty,
as well as a laundry area, Bilco door, ample storage rooms, a built-in bar, and space for a game room.

If these walls could talk

The distinctive Federalist Colonial home perched on a hill at the corner of Glenmore and LaSalle avenues holds a rich history dating back to its earliest owners. 

A 1914 photo from the Dormont Historical Society shows the property and surrounding land 10 years before the Liberty Tunnels opened. Included in the sepia panorama — with a caption reading “Sunny Dormont: Pittsburgh’s prettiest suburb” — are grand homes and plots of land owned by John Anderson. Formerly Anderson Farm, the area consisted of three residential plans.

According to a title search, Anderson sold 2740 Glenmore to Sarah Elizabeth Weir in 1915. Four years later, Weir sold the home to Viola S. Groves, wife of Frederick Hugh Groves.

Born in England in 1881, Groves immigrated to the U.S. arriving in New York in 1894. Groves became a U.S. citizen at age 22 in 1903. He founded the F.H. Groves Piano Company in 1912 and was active in newspaper work, holding business and advertising positions with The Index and Pittsburgh Daily News. 

Groves was also founder of the High Noon Club of Pittsburgh, a Masonic organization, and served as the national president of the High Noon Clubs of the U.S. The 1920 Census shows that Groves lived at 2740 Glenmore with his wife Viola and their three children, Hugh, Dorothy and Frederick Nelson. 

In 1931, Frederick Nelson Groves married Marion Lamb of nearby Espy Avenue. After Frederick Nelson Groves died in 1971, the home was purchased from his estate by Charles Fenner and Thomas L. Stoehr for $25,000. In 1974, they purchased the adjacent 6,550-square-foot lot for $8,000, which provides a vast terrain of green space that is rare in Dormont. Language in the deed included restrictions on what could be built on the double lot.

The 2,862-square-foot home was lovingly cared for until Fenner passed away at age 87 on July 4, 2022.

“Growing up on Glenmore was an idyllic time. Everyone on the street was very close, and as people moved away and new neighbors moved in, new memories and friendships developed. It’s the kind of street you would think existed 50 years ago when neighbors looked out for their neighbors and helped each other out,” says neighbor Heather Schmidt, executor of the Charles Fenner estate, who has conducted extensive research on the home.

“All of us as children were in awe of the white stucco home on the hill with the picturesque and exceptionally manicured yard. Not many people were aware of the beautiful antiques and Tiffany lamps that filled the home, but everyone would see Chuck working in his yard day in and day out.”

On Golden Mountain 

Just four miles from Downtown, the home is conveniently located near numerous amenities and attractions along the Potomac and West Liberty commercial districts and the Pittsburgh Regional Transit “T” line.

Rowhouse Hollywood, Back Alley Brewery, Arsenal Cider, Beyond Bedtime Books, the Dor-Stop diner, Government Center record store, coffee shops, restaurants and salons are steps away. Located in the Keystone Oaks School District, the neighborhood is home to major recreational amenities such as Dormont Pool, the Castle Playground and Dormont Park.

“The real estate in Dormont has been excellent for nearly 10 years. Many people who have lived throughout the South Hills have been aware of the incredible convenience to the Downtown corridor of Pittsburgh, the simplicity of one of the few highly walkable communities outside the city, the classic early-to-mid-1900s construction with features not readily seen in the nearby suburbs, the subway and bus lines that bisect Dormont, and the cozy neighborhood feel within its diverse population and backgrounds,” adds Dini.

With mortgage rates on everyone’s mind, Dini weighs in with some perspective for anyone starting the homebuying journey:

“Despite the mortgage interest rates being in the 6s today, this remains far below the median rates of the past 50 years of 7.41% for a 30-year conventional mortgage. We have been a bit spoiled by the historically low rates of 2020-2022, but now the market is poised to offer great opportunities for those who were not ready to purchase during the pandemic era and want to begin the dream of homeownership and building equity.”

According to the West Penn Multi-List, home values for single-family dwellings in Dormont have increased by 110.6% in the past 10 years and 47.2% in the last five years, with the 2023 average sale price being $250,000.

“We will likely have fewer homes involved in the bidding wars of the last few years with prices far exceeding asking prices. But with limited supply on the horizon for most of our neighborhoods, I feel things will remain competitive but with some good opportunities ahead,” Dini says.

While touring the house with Dini and Schmidt, there was a knock on the front door and a voice calling from outside. A woman who had not seen the for sale sign was stopping by to drop off a handwritten note for the current owner.