PHOTOS BY FLYOVER PROPERTIES

Pittsburgh native Denny Monks spent years in New York City completing his medical residency, all while crammed into what he calls 425-square-feet of “unremarkable drywall” that had no access to green space.

Once he returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh in 2014, Monks purchased a classic, solidly made city home that served him well for several years — but he always had his eyes open for something special.

In 2018, a condo at 2132 Sarah Street on the South Side grabbed his attention.

The four-story unit was tucked into the choir loft of the former St. Casimir Church; built in 1902, it once housed the Lithuanian Catholic congregation. Over the years, the building had fallen into disrepair and was likely to be razed, until developer Ivor Hill stumbled across it when leaving a guitar class one evening.

After buying the property, Hill sat on the former altar sketching out plans to preserve the history while creating luxury housing units. Today, the 22nd Street Condos contain 12 units — and no two are the same.

This particular unit, no. 207, contains the church’s original choir loft as well as a private bell tower with sweeping views of the city. When Monks first spoke to Hot Property columnist Meg St-Esprit in 2021 for The Wall Street Journal, he said that he made an offer on the unit within 24 hours of touring the home.

At the time, he said, “Once this unit sold, I knew it wasn’t going to be back on the market for the rest of my life.”

Plans changed though, and Monks has since listed the condo with Sarah Leitera of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices for $875,000.

“I have worked with Denny five times now on various properties, and it is always a pleasure,” says Leitera. “It is a thrill to have a returning client call me to sell a property that I helped him purchase. I am aware of the history of the building and condo, and fell in love with it when Denny was finalizing his purchase.”

As for what spurred Monks to list the condo that captured his heart only seven years ago, a plot of land along the edge of the Hill District — and a desire to build his own home — were calling to him.

“I have always wanted, despite this condo being classical in style, something Mid-Century. My decor is still very Mid-Century, and that’s always been the way I lean as far as design goes,” he says.

He adds he asked Leitera years ago to keep an eye out for an MCM-style home in the city, but those that came on the market sold fast.

“I just never found one, so when I saw this land, it felt like my chance to build something in that style in the city,” he says.

Monks is now working with Pittsburgh-based Cipriani Studios to build a multi-level home, perched above the Strip District, that will cling to the hillside and take in views of the city from its unique vantage point.

Monks notes that when he originally fell in love with the South Side condo, the belfry was not included in the unit due to a lack of access. Through some problem-solving (and a $13,000 modular loft from Spain that weighs 1,500 pounds), he negotiated the space into the final purchase.

It was worth it, he says.

The bell tower offers views in four directions that encompass rivers, rooftops and green space, while two additional patios on lower levels offer even more outdoor space for lounging. It’s always that belfry that grabs folks’ attention, though.

“Every time someone new sees it, I can’t get them off the rooftop for 20 or 30 minutes,” Monks says with a laugh. “They just want to take it all in — the uniqueness of it.”

The four levels of the 2,300-square-foot condo each contain features and amenities that make living there easy, including an elevator from the parking garage that opens onto a shared hallway.

From that hall, guests enter the home’s first level, which contains a guest room, a full bathroom and a courtyard. Stairs lead up to the main living level, which incorporates the sweeping arch and ornate plaster work of the former choir loft as a backdrop for a modern living space.

The dining area, chef’s kitchen and living area are part of the open-concept layout, which also includes a second courtyard. The home’s modern finishes are simple and clean, which allows the original architectural details to shine.

Monks leaned into his love of Mid-Century design when decorating, seamlessly blending his style with the condo’s curved walls. There’s also a gallery wall rail system that makes changing art on the tallest wall possible — although Monks admits it took a bit of time to find a method that worked.

Another set of stairs leads up to the third and fourth levels, which make up the primary suite. The third level contains a spa-like bathroom, a large walk-in closet and a laundry room, while the fourth level houses the primary bedroom. From there, a modular loft provides access to the bell tower’s iconic views.

While Monks is excited about his new adventure, he says he will never quite get over his love affair with this home — and the community.

“I love the South Side; I love all of the neighbors and I love walking everywhere,” he says. “It’s a nice, old-school Pittsburgh community that gets a bad reputation due to a few bad actors, but for me it’s been a quiet community that I will miss.”

About: South Side Flats
Population: 6,430
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: Located within minutes of most of Pittsburgh’s major arteries, the South Side Flats is a great location for residents who need to access the airport regularly via Interstate 376 or Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Airport Flyer route. The South Side is extremely walkable, and residents enjoy many amenities without having to leave their community. There are plentiful bus stops in the neighborhood, and the T can be picked up easily from Station Square for access to the South Hills, Downtown or the North Shore.
Schools: Pittsburgh Public Schools (pghschools.org)
Neighborhood: The South Side Flats is home to many commercial spaces, including restaurants, bars, and retail shops. It’s also a popular night spot that can draw raucous crowds on weekends. Residents can walk to small delis and local eateries as well as an Aldi and a Cheesecake Factory in the SouthSide Works complex. It’s an eclectic and diverse community with a wide range of residents, from students in apartments to character homes. The South Side is also home to the largest clock face in the country — just one of the neighborhood’s many claims to fame.