This Elevated Lawrenceville Home Landed a Buyer in Just One Weekend

The spring market in Pittsburgh moves fast each and every year, but some homes generate an immediate buzz the moment they go live on Zillow.

That’s what happened at 237 40th St.  

The carefully updated home in Lawrenceville reflects years of intentional work by owners who modernized the row home while preserving its character. Situated across from Arsenal Park and tucked into one of Pittsburgh’s most active and walkable neighborhoods, this semi-detached two-bedroom, two-bathroom home hit the market for $389,000 on May 7 — and went under contract within days. 

That was by design, says Emily Fraser, team lead and associate broker for The Fraser Team at Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty. She says it’s clear that the level of craftsmanship inside the home stands out in a market crowded with rushed renovations and cosmetic flips. It was merely her team’s job to showcase it well. 

“40th Street is one of the proudest collaborations of my career so far,” says Fraser. “The sellers have owned the home since [2009] and spent those years thoughtfully updating it over time. The result is a transformative, owner-driven renovation defined by careful craftsmanship, high-end finishes and a level of intention you can feel throughout the home.”

Fraser notes that the quality of materials becomes increasingly obvious the longer buyers spend inside the property.

“This is one of those homes where buyers can truly drop their bags,” she says. “Realtors say that all the time, but in this case, it is legitimate. The renovation is not only comprehensive, but the quality is exceptional and built to stand the test of time, which feels increasingly rare in the post-COVID era of quick, inexpensive renovations.”

Sal Bucci, listing prep and marketing specialist for The Fraser Team, believes the home was snapped up so quickly because it avoids feeling overly trendy, despite so many updates.

“No detail was overlooked, and what really sets it apart is the sellers’ exceptional taste,” Bucci says. “The home bridges a rare design gap that I would describe as timeless contemporary: refined, current and elevated without feeling trendy or disposable.”

With a cozy and secluded outdoor space, two-car parking and funky, fun finishes throughout, the house hit the market at a moment when move-in-ready homes in Lawrenceville elicit a flurry of activity from buyers eager to land in one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods.

For owners Eric and Tricia Zemba, though, the home they bought in 2009 feels like so much more than a hot real estate listing.

“From a personal standpoint, it has been very rewarding to evolve the home over time, taking something with solid bones and bringing it to where it is today,” Eric says. “It has been a great balance of preserving character while modernizing the space for how people actually live.”

That balance is subtle, but evident. The living room centers around a stone fireplace and refinished hardwood floors, while oversized picture-frame windows flood the space with natural light and frame views of the park. Updated triple-pane Pella windows help soften city noise while keeping the view clear. 

The living room flows into a large and well-appointed eat-in kitchen; the owners consider the updated layout their greatest design move. 

“I love the kitchen and how it connects to the rest of the house,” Eric says. “We put a lot of thought into making it feel open, functional and cohesive with the overall design. It is where everything naturally comes together, whether it is cooking, hosting or just day-to-day life.”

The kitchen blends luxury finishes with functionality, anchored by custom cabinetry, quartz countertops (including an island with a double waterfall edge) and premium LG appliances. The layout connects seamlessly to both the backyard and basement level, which allows the relatively compact footprint to feel much larger than the square footage of the house might indicate. 

That sense of thoughtful flow continues on the second floor. The primary bedroom has generous storage, while the second bedroom can flex easily into guest accommodations or a home office setup — an increasingly important feature for buyers balancing hybrid work schedules. The modernized hall bathroom is shared by both bedrooms and features tilework and elevated fixtures that echo the design choices throughout the whole home.

Downstairs, the full-height basement adds additional versatility with another full bathroom and enough room for a gym, studio or creative workspace. The Pittsburgh Potty also has received a glow up.

Outside, privacy fencing surrounds a landscaped backyard complete with a 12-by-12-foot deck and highly coveted off-street two-car parking, a rarity in Lawrenceville.

For Tricia, the backyard became one of the home’s biggest lifestyle assets.

“I love the outdoor space, especially the deck and backyard,” she says. “It is such a great extension of the house and a place we have spent a lot of time relaxing and entertaining.”

Tricia also points to the windows as one of the home’s most underrated design elements. 

“The oversized picture frame windows at the front and back of the house bring in incredible natural light throughout the day and really pull the outside in, especially with the park right across the street,” says Tricia. “From the family room, it almost feels like an extension of that green space.”

It’s easy to soak up the outdoors in the backyard, but it’s just as easy to step out the front door and enjoy everything the highly walkable community has to offer. 

The property sits in the heart of Central Lawrenceville, just steps from Butler Street’s dense commercial corridor filled with restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques and small businesses; yet the immediate presence of Arsenal Park softens the urban setting with green space that owners say shaped their experience living there.

“I was drawn to the location, convenience and the character of the neighborhood,” says Eric. “It offered a unique balance of a dense, walkable urban setting with immediate access to green space, with Arsenal Park right at the front door. That combination is hard to find and really shaped our experience living here.”

For Tricia, the appeal is bolstered from the neighborhood’s energy and sense of community.

“There is always something going on, whether it is events, new places opening, the farmers market or just people out and about,” she says. “It is a very active and engaged community, but still feels approachable and livable.”

As the Zembas prepare to hand the home over to its next owners, they say they hope the buyers appreciate both the livability of the space and the history woven into the block itself.

“The home itself dates back to around 1937 and sits directly across from the Art Deco-style Arsenal Middle School, which is part of the historic Allegheny Arsenal site,” Eric says. “There is a lot of layered history in the immediate area, and it is something we have always appreciated because it gives the location a sense of depth beyond just being a great place to live.”