From the August 9, 2002 print edition

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Part urban, part suburban: A new neighborhood concept takes root

$15 million mixed housing development under construction

MONROEVILLE - J. Michael Ruefle Jr. knows a thing or two about the eastern suburban housing market.

After all, Mr. Ruefle, the president of Suncrest Homes Inc. of Murrysville, Westmoreland County, has been building homes in this market for 30 years. So when his friend, Bob Crawford, president of R.E. Crawford Construction Co. of Springdale, told him a year ago about a flat, 17-acre parcel on Northern Pike in Monroeville, Mr. Ruefle went and took a look.

He liked what he saw: potential. The two friends teamed up and bought the land, which was vacant except for a small house. They decided to put housing on the property. Rather than have a development of single-family homes, the business partners wanted to try something different - a mix of single-family homes, as well as condominiums, and one- and two-story patio homes.

"What we did was research the traditional neighborhood concept," Mr. Ruefle said. "Bob and I visited Hilton Head, Memphis, Maryland and Florida to look."

The end result of their joint effort is Berkeley Square, a $15 million housing development now under construction. (The name Berkeley was chosen at random, Mr. Ruefle said.)

"We felt there was a definite demand for this kind of product," in the eastern suburbs, Mr. Ruefle said.

Unlike the rest of the country, where mixed-housing developments have been built since the mid-1980s, this trend has never caught on in Western Pennsylvania. Only Summerset at Frick Park, the city's ambitious $250 million development under construction at the former Nine Mile Run slag pile in Squirrel Hill, is comparable - albeit much larger - to Berkeley Square.

"There is not a whole lot of nice, relatively flat land for people to buy and turn into housing developments," said Tom Hosack, COO of McCandless-based Northwood Realty Services, one of the area's largest residential brokerages. "People have to be more creative."

In addition, there is a trend where people want more of an urban neighborhood feel while still living in the suburbs, said Helen Hanna Casey, president of residential sales of O'Hara Township-based Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, the area's largest residential brokerage.

"The key is mixing the kinds of homes," said Ms. Casey, whose company is marketing Berkeley Square.

At Summerset, for example, 713 homes are planned in three phases during a 10-year period. The first phase calls for the construction of 72 single-family homes, 41 town houses and 88 apartments. Ten families are already living at Summerset.

"We have 700 people on our waiting list for the next 60 homes," said Mark Schneider, president of The Rubinoff Co., the North Side-based developer of Summerset.

"The mayor has gotten the city moving and people are optimistic about the future. People want to live in a pedestrian-oriented community where a lot of thought is given to design," he said.

Half of the 59 units planned for Berkeley will be single-family homes, while the remainder will be split between one- and two-story patio homes. Plus, one condominium building with four units is planned over a three-year period.

There are 15 different designs that buyers can pick from, said Dayna Logan, who is heading the Berkeley Square marketing efforts for Howard Hanna. The common element to each of these four types of housing is a large front porch, she said.

The single-family homes planned for Berkeley are 1,800 square feet to 2,500 square feet. Prices begin at $270,000. Single-family homes include two-car garages, as well as a den and family room. Buyers have the option of finishing the inside any way they see fit. In addition, basements are optional in single-family homes.

"They won't look alike, but will have similar characteristics," said Ms. Logan, explaining that white trim, stone and brick will be used in the design of all of the Berkeley Square homes.

"Ten years from now, this will look like Beechwood Boulevard," in Squirrel Hill, Ms. Logan said.

The two-story patio homes, which Howard Hanna is calling villas, are 2,100 square feet. They, too, feature a two-car garage and cathedral ceilings. Prices begin at $246,500. The single-floor paired villa is 1,500 square feet. It features a two-car garage, great room and cathedral ceilings. Prices start at $213,000.

The condominium building, meanwhile, will be a secure building with an elevator. Its four condos - which are being marketed as flats - are 2,000 square feet. They vary in price from $203,000 for a first-floor flat to $213,000 for a second-floor flat.

The entire development will feature five-foot wide sidewalks, heavy landscaping, as well as a swimming pool and clubhouse.

Residents will pay monthly dues for the maintenance and upkeep of the common areas, as well as the building exterior, with the exception of the single-family homes. (The fee schedule for single-family home is $95 a month; $110 for the villas, and $145 for the flats.)

Ms. Logan said the goal is to sell 25 homes a year. Construction on the first homes are expected to begin later this year.

Ms. Logan said most of her queries have come from the eastern suburbs.

"From Shadyside to Monroeville," said Ms. Logan, adding that 15 people have put deposits down on lots at Berkeley Square.

That was the case for Bob and Ruth Ann Craft. The Monroeville couple wanted one-floor living, but wanted to have enough room when their five grandchildren in nearby Murrysville came to visit.

They were also looking for a location that was convenient and close to Mr. Craft's business, Alston Machine Co. Inc. in Plum Borough.

"We looked around for about a year," Mr. Craft said.

What attracted them to Berkeley Square was that they knew Mr. Ruefle, who helped them build a room onto a home they owned in Penn Hills 30 years ago.

"We saw him at a Monroeville council meeting," on cable TV, Mr. Craft said.

Though Mrs. Craft said they were looking for a one-story home, the couple ended up choosing a two-story villa at Berkeley Square for $241,000. (They got the $5,000 discount by being the development's first buyer.) By doing so, they have a bedroom on the first floor and enough room on the upper floor for overnight visitors.

Their new home should be ready in 180 days, Ms. Logan said.

MS. ELLIOTT may be contacted at selliott@bizjournals.com.

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