Yes, That’s a Saltwater Pool in the Back of This Lawrenceville Home
Built a decade ago, the contemporary home is connected to the remarkable urban outdoor space by a retractable glass wall.
PHOTOS BY JORDAN GRAY, PREP SOLUTIONS
A decade ago, Shana Leonello and her father were on the hunt for a new home — one that had already been built. As they perused the local Pittsburgh market looking for projects they could work on together, nothing felt quite right.
That’s when Leonello saw an empty lot in Lawrenceville, and inspiration struck.
“I was going to look at another home that was for sale,” recalls Leonello. “A neighbor was outside, so I asked her a question, and that’s when she informed me that she was going to be selling her house, too.”
That house was 127 Banner Way, which sat on a double lot. The empty property, which was being used as a garden, suddenly felt right to Leonello and her father. In 2016, the duo started construction on a new home there.
“That is how we got the address of 127 ½,” Leonello says.
She met her now-husband, Nathan Planavsky, around that same time; the couple later got engaged at the site of the new building. Planavsky also became deeply involved in the property’s planning and construction. Since that time, the couple has added a husky named Tito and two children, ages 6 and 2, to their family.
Leonello says building 127 ½ Banner Way gave the couple a truly blank slate, allowing them to create the kind of home they weren’t able to find on the market at the time. Beyond its contemporary mix of stone and glass, the home also stands out in the urban neighborhood thanks to an inground saltwater pool.
“We built this home to give us something that’s incredibly hard to find in the city, the feeling of having our own private retreat,” Leonello says. “We were able to enjoy everything Lawrenceville has to offer while coming home to beautiful outdoor spaces and a pool right in the middle of the city. The house itself also has such a modern, open feel.”
Listed for $939,000 by Sarah Madia at RE/MAX Select Realty, the three-level home has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and two powder rooms, as well as a partially finished basement. The heated pool is connected to the house by a retractable glass wall.
“One of the first things that stands out is all of the oversized windows,” says Madia. “There is so much natural light throughout the home. The NanaWall really invites the outdoors inside, too. When it’s open, the indoor and outdoor spaces really become one.”
The open main level contains high-end finishes in white and gray, giving the space a gallery-like atmosphere that’s waiting to be filled by the next owner’s art and personal tastes. A floating oak staircase with glass handrails in front of the windows adds visual interest. Then, of course, there’s that pool.
“Without question, one of our favorite features is the indoor-outdoor living space and the pool. The NanaWall completely opens the house to the patio and, when it’s open, the entire space becomes one big entertaining area,” Leonello says. “Having a heated saltwater pool in Lawrenceville is such a unique luxury. We have loved being able to spend summer days outside, entertain friends and family, and still have all the conveniences of city living. I think the next owners are going to make some incredible memories there.”
On the second floor is a primary suite as well as two additional bedrooms, which share a full bathroom. Each room is bright and sunny, with large exterior windows and interior transoms to draw light in.
An elevated patio at the front of the home faces the street and there’s also a balcony overlooking the pool. A large family room with a massive patio completes the home’s third floor, which has a sweeping view of the neighborhood.
“I really haven’t seen a home with this much space for entertaining, especially in Lawrenceville,” says Madia.
Even as the family moves on, Leonello says this home will always hold some of their biggest moments.
“This house holds so many of our family’s memories; it’s where we got engaged, and later it became the first home both of our children came home from the hospital to,” says Leonello. “We also had so much fun designing the home together and putting our personality into it.
“We loved creating some of the unique features throughout the house and watching all of those ideas come to life. It’s more than just a house we designed, it’s really where our family began and grew, and that will always make it a special place for us.”
Editor’s Note: The family also owns the original home at 127 Banner Way, which can be made available for purchase to expand this home’s footprint or for use as a separate residence. For more information, contact Sarah Madia.
