PHOTOS BY GENO DEBLASIO

When Craig and Audrey Smith made an offer on 1287 Washington Road 31 years ago, it was a stretch for their budget. But the five-bedroom, Mission-style stone home in Mt. Lebanon had already captured their heart — and the couple recalls their excitement at the chance to call it their own.

“It had so much space and so much potential,” recalls Craig. “We could not believe it could be ours to raise our young family in.”

That’s just what they did, raising a daughter and two sons in the sprawling, 3,000-square-foot home. One of the couple’s sons married in the backyard several years ago, and two of the couple’s four grandchildren also were born while their parents were living at the home.

“We not only had a wonderful experience with our kids and their many friends, but we’ve had the opportunity for multi-generational living in our big house,” says Audrey.

The house also came with an intriguing history. As it turned out, another type of “family” allegedly once was involved in the stately manse.

“When we were first shown this house, we were told that it belonged to a mobster at one time, and we were even shown a hideout in the primary bedroom closet,” Craig says.

Craig and Audrey’s kids, who were in elementary school at the time, loved the dramatic tale, while their parents wrote it off as local lore — at least as first.

“Many years later, a news article was shared with us that told the story of the assassinated crime-family boss, John Bazzano, who was the big boss in Pittsburgh for a short time,” says Craig. “The article included pictures after his funeral, which was held at his ‘Mount Lebanon Mansion.’”

Craig says the photos depicted the Smith’s home in 1932, including pictures showing the casket being carried from their front sidewalk into the hearse.

Their daughter framed the news story, which currently hangs in the family’s dining room as a reminder of their home’s unique history.

“Needless to say, whenever any repairs needed a wall to be opened up, we were always curious as to what we might find,” jokes Craig.

Despite the home’s checkered past, it fulfilled all the couple’s wishes for their family over the past three decades. The first floor features a living room, family room, office, dining room, sprawling kitchen and an attached greenhouse and sunroom.

As the couple now prepares to move onto their next chapter, Audrey says these shared spaces were often filled with the thrum of family life.

“Our living room has a stone fireplace and an adjacent library that became a playroom,” she says. “It has always been a favorite of mine; it has always been a welcoming, cozy hangout for all of us.”

Craig also designed and built all of the solid wood ash cabinets in the kitchen, most of which feature book-matched “wood figuring” in the doors or continuous wood grain going from one door or drawer to the next.

“Besides the beautiful woodwork, the kitchen is arranged in a way that makes it very functional and practical to use,” he says.

The home’s second floor has a primary suite with an ensuite bathroom and walk-in closet as well as two more spacious bedrooms and a hallway bathroom. The third floor has two more bedrooms, plus a large bathroom. The basement has yet another bathroom in addition to two finished rooms and plenty of storage space.

The home is now listed for $777,000 with Howard Hanna real estate agent Holly Chamberlin, who calls it a grand home filled with light.

“The grand vestibule entry seals out the world outside, opening into the living space of spacious rooms with high ceilings,” she says.

“My favorite feature is the stained glass; it is some of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.”

She says the home has been well-maintained, regularly updated and comes with history and style. New Anderson windows and the addition of eight high-velocity mini splits to bring air conditioning to the home are a huge perk for a home of this age, she says.

As the Smiths prepare to say goodbye to the house that holds so many memories, they are having a hard time choosing what they will miss the most. The supportive community stands out, as does the convenience of Mount Lebanon, where the couple could walk to Uptown for a cup of coffee or a bite to eat — or easily drive or take the T to Pittsburgh.

“Wherever your friends and family are going, they will probably pass by the house on the way there,” says Craig.

Overall, they are excited for someone else to write the home’s next story.

“It is a house that never fails to impress when people come to visit and first see it,” says Audrey. “We will miss the kitchen and all the work that went into that. And Craig, who spent years getting his basement workshop just the way he wanted it, will certainly miss that, too.”

Meg St-Esprit is a Bellevue-based freelance journalist who covers real estate, lifestyle, education, parenting and travel for a variety of local outlets including Pittsburgh Magazine, PublicSource, Kidsburgh, Pittsburgh City Paper, and City Cast Pittsburgh. Meg offers Hot Property, an inside look into unique and historic homes on the market. Each week, Hot Property goes behind the For Sale sign to share the story of a special Pittsburgh-area home.

About: Mt. Lebanon
Population: 33,754
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: Residents of Mt. Lebanon can easily access the Parkway West to get to the airport or to Downtown. Mt. Lebanon has many walkable areas and residents can walk to local amenities. The T extends through the South Hills, making it easy for residents to hop on a train to access the city or South Hills Village Mall.
Schools: Mt. Lebanon School District (mtlsd.org)
Neighborhood: Mt. Lebanon has a strong community feel, as well as several of the most vibrant, thriving (and dog-friendly) business districts in Allegheny County. Along Washington Road are Rollier Hardware, Uptown Coffee and Mt. Lebanon Floral. Restaurants range from grabbing a quick slice of pizza at Mineo’s to upscale dining at Bistro 19. Benches and trees welcome visitors and the historical churches are located up and down the business district.