PHOTOS BY FLYOVER PROPERTIES

It was kismet that Jan Kielty and her young family stumbled across 715 Old Mill Road in Fox Chapel more than 30 years ago. 

She and her late husband had been searching for months for just the right spot. On their must-have list was a country setting, lots of space, friendly neighbors and a school they felt good about. Then one day, Kielty’s husband went on a fateful ride. 

“My husband had a motorcycle at the time and he was zipping all around and saw this house with a for sale sign,” Kielty says. “And so we arranged to look at it — and we just instantly fell for it.” 

After making what she describes as a less-than-favorable offer, the young couple, then parents to a 5-year-old son, was delighted when it was accepted. Kielty says that while they knew they were buying a great home, they had no idea just how special this spot would become to them. 

Measuring around 3,000 square feet, the fieldstone-clad house was built in 1945 and is filled with warm wood tones, exposed beams and baked clay floors, helping it to feel cozy and spacious all at once. Kielty says the back sunroom has served various roles over the years — including as her art studio — her favorite memories of the space are ones of sleeping on a futon and waking up surrounded by sunlight, as well as views of Campbell’s Lake.

Although the lake is owned by another family that resides along its edges, they promised to never limit their neighbors’ access to it. A wide path leads from Kielty’s home to the lakeshore, which is rimmed with benches. 

For years, Keith and Sally Turnbull, who died in 2021, enjoyed watching generations of families enjoy their lake; from fishing and ice skating to baptisms for the family’s church, it became a community hub. Kielty shares it was Sally’s deathbed wish that the lake remain accessible to anyone living near it. 

“I kept a little log of when we would first hear the spring peepers each March, which I bequeathed to my neighbors,” says Kielty. “The peepers signify the end of winter. Sometimes we have a spontaneous party on someone’s deck. We have a glass of wine and toast springtime.”

Now listed for $750,000 by Christine Healy of RE/MAX, the Kielty home has a large main floor with flexible-use rooms. Both the kitchen and dining room have fireplaces. There’s also a half bathroom, office, spacious foyer, breakfast nook, den and that lovely sunroom. The basement was converted to a bedroom suite for Kielty’s mother years ago and includes a grade-level entrance and a handicapped-accessible bathroom. 

The second floor has three bedrooms, plus a captive bedroom, two full bathrooms and more closet space than most houses of this age. 

While at times Kielty felt she could never leave this home, she has realized it was the people as much as the structure that won her heart so many years ago. Widowed in 2012, she recently decided to move to a smaller home, one that’s still close enough for her to pop over to her neighbor’s houses for chats (or a toast to the spring peepers) while letting another family enjoy her one-of-a-kind cottage. 

Over the years, the Kieltys also replaced a smaller outdoor area with a large deck overlooking the lake. Adding to the magic are gardens that surround the home, including a stunning full-sun front bed brimming with zinnias. As Healy says, the well-maintained house exudes charm inside and out.

“It stands out because of its authentic, cottage-style architecture, from a fieldstone-clad exterior and gabled roof to the divided-light windows dressed with flower-filled window boxes,” she says. “It has an English countryside feel.” 

Although there are some older appliances and fixtures in portions of the home, Healy hopes the home’s next owners prioritize the property’s history and integrity, such as the stone fireplace and expansive windows facing the lake. 

The new owners also will be able to take walks to the nearby Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve or along the Eliza Fox trail system, or maybe even enjoy those lakeside chats that Kielty says will always have a place in her heart.  

“I am not exaggerating, the neighbors are just literally the best thing about living there; each and every one is the salt of the earth,” she says. “It is a really vibrant community.” 

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: Fox Chapel
Population: 5,299
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Most folks who live in Fox Chapel have a car, and while there are some great trail systems for recreation, most dining and shopping requires wheels. Some public transportation exists in the community, but it is not robust and mostly serves those commuting to Downtown. The airport is under 40 minutes away, and it’s fairly easy to access the city’s main northern arteries.
Schools: Fox Chapel Area School District (fcasd.edu)
Neighborhood: The wooded, upscale community is a mix of planned neighborhoods and homes in more rural settings. Most residents know their neighbors and enjoy community events like Halloween parades and festivals. Home to The Pittsburgh Field Club, which opened in 1882, and the Fox Chapel Golf Club, which opened in 1919, Fox Chapel is located close to many shops, restaurants and spots for entertainment, including the frequent summer concerts at Hartwood Acres. 

Neighborhood data provided by Niche.