PHOTOS BY FLYOVER PROPERTIES

For more than three decades, Dr. Loren Roth and his wife, Ellen, have made their home at 6820 Edgerton Ave., a grand Point Breeze manse where they raised their two daughters while building both community and a legacy.

Ellen recalls house hunting in the late 1980s with two young girls in tow; at the time, they were desperate for more space — and a home where they could leave their mark.

“We were move-up buyers,” she says. “A friend introduced me to the owners at the time, and we bought it directly from them. Our two girls had a wonderful childhood in a neighborhood filled with gracious homes.”

While the Roth girls ran the neighborhood, playing with friends and enjoying nearby Frick and Mellon parks, their parents were making an impact on Pittsburgh.

Loren, a distinguished professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, was also the first chief medical officer of UPMC. Ellen, with a doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh, is both a published author and president of Getting to the Point, a relocation agency that specializes in helping folks build a life in Pittsburgh.

The decorated couple is in good company in their corner of Point Breeze. Famed author Annie Dillard lived nearby (you can read more about her childhood home here) and the neighborhood was also home to Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough, noted author John Edgar Wideman and rapper Mac Miller. Ellen adds she thinks Point Breeze inspires writing and creativity.

The couple themselves were so intrigued by the neighborhood’s storied history that they built a room around it in their home.

“My favorite room in the house is the beautiful mahogany library that we installed over the three-car garage,” says Loren. “It holds hundreds of books and is conducive to learning and reflection.”

“The only thing my husband ever wanted was a library,” adds Ellen.

While Ellen says the library stands out for her, too, she has many beloved parts of the nearly 4,000-square-foot home, which was built in 1929. She adds the home is filled with classic architectural details, such as arched doorways.

“When we redid the kitchen, we added arches to echo the theme of the rest of the house,” she says.

The kitchen remodel made the space work for modern family life while retaining the historical charm of the home. It’s large and well-designed for entertaining, holiday gatherings or for unexpected groups of friends that stop by — a common occurrence at the Roth home.

The Roths also added a small addition to the five-bedroom, five-bathroom house that can be used as an office or playroom. That’s in addition to the updates they made to the electrical system, plumbing and central air.

“We have this beautiful courtyard we built that is wonderful for entertaining, but you could also put a basketball court out there instead,” Ellen says.

After 38 years, the couple is ready to enjoy life with their eight grandchildren — and deal with less maintenance. They’ve chosen to move to a condo not far from their family home, as they say the East End continues to offer everything they need.

Realtor Andrea Ehrenreich of Howard Hanna has since listed the home for $1.495 million.

“It’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful properties in the neighborhood,” says Ehrenreich. “From the moment you arrive, the architectural details make a lasting impression.”

Setting the tone is the home’s grand staircase, and the details throughout only reinforce it.

“It has a coveted three-car integral garage, a serene private courtyard oasis and a fabulous finished basement…all of which are hard to come by in this area,” Ehrenreich says.

All of the well-maintained living space is framed by original millwork, leaded glass, unique plaster details and high-end finishes, both old and new. Creative touches, such as custom murals and built-in nooks, make for charming surprises in the stately brick home.

“Structurally, it’s built like a fortress,” says Ellen, adding that the home has always felt cozy despite the size. “This is a house that’s been filled with love.”

One of the reasons the couple say they’ve decided to stay nearby is the friendships they’ve made in Point Breeze. Their home became a gathering point for their daughters’ friends, and kids still congregate to play on an island formed where two streets join.

“People stay in touch with one another,” says Ellen. “Newcomers are welcomed, people walk their dogs, you run into your neighbors all the time, and there is always a warm smile and a special greeting.”

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: Point Breeze
Population: 6,727
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: With ample public transportation and easy access to Interstate 376, Point Breeze residents are perfectly situated for transportation by car, bike, bus or foot. The airport is a 25-minute drive, or residents may hop on a bus to Downtown and catch the Airport Flyer to save on long-term parking. While many residents of Point Breeze do own cars, it’s not necessary.
Schools: Pittsburgh Public Schools (pghschools.org)
Neighborhood: Home to the East End Food Co-op and Henry Clay Frick’s Clayton, which is a part of the 5.5-acre Frick Art & Historical Center, Point Breeze also counts Westinghouse Park, Mellon Park and Homewood Cemetery, as well as the northern edge of Frick Park, within its borders. The largely residential neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s East End is surrounded by North Point Breeze, Regent Square, Squirrel Hill South, Squirrel Hill North, Shadyside and Wilkinsburg.