For Lucille O’Neil, living in Beaver was a lifelong dream — one she made come true 35 years ago. 

“It’s the best town that I know of,” she says. “I was just in Center Township, not so far away. I wanted to ride my bike and walk everywhere and Beaver is beautiful for that.”  

Her lovely, nearly century-old home at 1265 Park Place has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and is just a short walk from Beaver’s historic downtown on Third Avenue, which is lined with 89 family-owned shops, restaurants and stores, including Kretchmar’s Bakery, Cafe Kolache and Ladybird’s Luncheonette (on Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2022 Best Restaurants list). It’s also just footsteps from the Ohio River.

She found a great sense of community in Beaver, and even though she’s now moving away from the house she loves in favor of a more maintenance-free lifestyle, she’s staying put in the neighborhood. Her home is listed for $269,900 (MLS#1593365, Adam Cannon, Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty, 412-670-6203, sothebysrealty.com). It is open by appointment. 

“The people are so nice and there are many beautiful homes there,” O’Neil adds.  

The home’s exterior is sided in an off-white tone, complemented by brown shutters. There’s also a bow window and a covered side porch with an arched entry and front door. The sweet space is small but mighty, with decorative iron railings.

“I use it all the time; the neighbors are always stopping,” O’Neil says. “Everybody walks in Beaver. I read out there a lot.” 

The arched shape, which includes the front door, is a motif that repeats throughout the home on arched walkways that connect the first floor’s layout.

The 18-by-13-square-foot formal living room has the original oak floors. On the far wall is a fireplace, a built-in bookcase topped with a window and a glass-panel door leading to the side porch. Tying the elements together is the original, white-painted trim work and a custom swag window treatments.  

The large dining room has a chair rail wall, more windows with custom drapes and an ornate chandelier. 

“The largest party we had in the room was 15 to 20 people,” O’Neil recalls. “We also set up a card table for the youngest kids.” 

The roomy kitchen has been upgraded with granite countertops, a porcelain backsplash and tile floors and new stainless-steel appliances. The tongue-in-groove kitchen cabinets were left in place for good reason. 

“They are custom and solid cherry-wood cabinets,” O’Neil says. “The builder has his signature in them.”

The warm wood of the cabinets plays nicely against the butter yellow walls and bright white trim. The triangular layout allows for plenty of counter space. There also is a corner sink flanked by a pair of windows. Against the pickled oak accent wall on the other side of the room is space for a table and chairs.

The home’s windowed, 20-by-15-square-foot family room addition has paneled walls and carpeting. With its roomy closets and full bathroom, it could be used as a first-floor primary suite. The bathroom itself is painted a soft gray-green and has a walk-in shower, white vanity and porcelain tile floor.

“In the winter, you can sit in there and watch the birds, rabbits, and squirrels interacting; they cannot see you,” O’Neil says. 

A sliding glass door leads to the rear deck with Trex flooring, where O’Neil’s joy in her home continues to shine. 

“My son and I did the back patio,” she says. “We did the stamped concrete and installed all of the shrubbery. In the summer it is absolutely gorgeous. People would come and get their prom pictures done back there. It is very, very private.”

The organically shaped hardscape concrete meanders around three sides of the home and is cradled by mature planting beds. In one corner, a two-seater porch swing sits among tall juniper trees. There also are water fountains, bird baths, a trellis for climbing plants and an elegantly sited birch tree that provides shade in the summer. There’s also a picturesque view of the hills that surround the Ohio River.  

Upstairs, three bedrooms range in size from 13-by-10 to 12-by-11 square feet and include ample closets alongside the original doors. The second level’s full bathroom is painted a French Blue and features another of the home’s signature arches in the shower area. The pedestal sink has a shell basin and gold fixtures that fit nicely with the home. 

There’s also a new furnace unit, central air conditioning and a built-in air conditioner in the family room that has not been needed since the main HVAC system was upgraded, O’Neil says.  

Due to its age and the architecture, the house bears a historic plaque. However, it does not come with any building covenants, so a new owner is free to make changes to the property. 

Although she’s moving from what she calls her “very happy house,” O’Neil says she’s encouraged by the amount of young families she has noticed moving into Beaver.

“So many young families are really taking over [these older homes,]” she says. “We have the best school district and a lot of recreation for the young people.” 

Drawing on her years of experience covering the region’s real estate industry, Rosa Colucci’s Hot Property takes an inside look into unique and historic homes currently on the market. Each week, Hot Property goes behind the For Sale sign to share the story of a special Pittsburgh area home.  And four times a year, Hot Property will give an in-depth look at the region’s real estate market in Pittsburgh Magazine HOME, track housing prices and sales and detail where the hot properties can be found. Rosa can be reached at onecordovaroad@gmail.com.

About: Beaver (beaverpa.us)
Population: 4,838
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: An 18-minute commute to the airport. Bike, rideshare.
School: Beaver Area School District (basd.k12.pa.us) has a lively theater arts program, sports programs and several special STEM and ART initiatives.
Neighborhood: The county seat of Beaver County, Beaver was designated a historic district in 1996 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to the business district’s age and authenticity as well as the community’s diverse inventory of housing stock that primarily dates back to the 19th century. Some of the district’s most prominent buildings are its five historic churches and the county courthouse.