Trio of Scandinavia-inspired homes claims vacant Pittsburgh corner

As another example of where housing trends are heading in the Pittsburgh neighborhood south of downtown, an infill project has brought together a trio of homes that wouldn’t look out of place on the fringes of Stockholm.

Developed by homebuilder Grit City, which counts projects in several intown neighborhoods, two of the Pittsburgh dwellings are back on the market after struggling to land buyers in the face of high interest rates last year, according to the sales team.

Spanning from 986 to 990 McDaniel St., the site in question is located about two miles due south of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, east of the Lee + White food and beverage district along the BeltLine.

The three Scandinavian-inspired homes, designed by Atlanta architecture firm Adam Stillman Residential Design, claimed a vacant corner lot where smaller, shuttered houses had been cleared several years ago. They were originally listed for sale last fall, but only the southernmost home (990 McDaniel St.) found buyers, selling for $489,000 in December.

Porch view from 988 McDaniel St. today. Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

The Pittsburgh corner in question, in relation to the Connector (right) and the Lee + White district (left) along the BeltLine. Google Maps

According to listing agent Shane Little of Avenue Realty, the remaining residences were pulled from the market until interest rates dipped south of 6.5 percent, which happened last week.

988 McDaniel St. came back to market Thursday, and the third home is expected to list today, Little said. Both will be priced at $479,900, which buys three bedrooms and two and ½ bathrooms in an open-concept 1,484 square feet. Perks include a covered front porch, carport around back with an EV outlet, fenced yard, and ceiling fans befitting the overall style.

Those price points wouldn’t sniff the highest sale Pittsburgh has seen recently. That title belongs to a 3,600-square-foot modern abode that traded for an eye-popping $900,000 at the end of 2022.

Facades of 986 to 990 McDaniel Street today. The southernmost home at right sold in December. Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Redfin pegs the median sales price for Pittsburgh at $330,000 right now. That's a 20 percent jump over February 2023 but also reflects the amount of fixer-uppers selling in the neighborhood.

Beyond the BeltLine and easy interstate access, other attractions in the area include the Pittsburgh Yards jobs hub, the Adair Park I and II greenspaces, and the adaptive-reuse Academy Lofts, now home to a Switchyards coworking space.

Find a quick, closer look at the available McDaniel Street products in the gallery above.

How the corner appeared, once cleared of fire-damaged and vacant housing, in 2022. Google Maps