Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Contact: Gretchen McKay (412)263-1419
gmckay@post-gazette.com

July 11, 2009

Downsizing from mansion to condo: Massaros mix antiques, treasures to feel at home

Carol Massaro smiles as she opens the door to her elegant first-floor condo in The Metropolitan Shadyside, a 42-unit development on the border of Oakland and Shadyside. But there's a hint of sheepishness behind the happy expression.

"I know," she says, laughing, as her living room -- large enough for several couches, tables and chairs, along with a dining set that easily seats eight -- pops into view. "People always say, 'I thought you said you were downsizing!' "

No kidding.

Most older couples, when they trade the home in which they raised their family for something a bit more senior-friendly, go smaller. And to be fair, Carol and Joe Massaro's new million-dollar digs, which took six months to build out, is one-third the size of the century-old Colonial on Hulton Road in Oakmont the couple lived in for more than 30 years.

That house measured a whopping 15,000 square feet over three levels. But their North Neville Street condo, created by combining two units on the first floor, is still twice the size of your average single-family home.

"It's kind of like our old first floor," Mrs. Massaro says.

Somehow, though, the bright and modern space charms rather than overwhelms, largely because it's furnished with antiques and other treasures the couple picked up on European travels instead of the designer-chosen contemporary pieces you might expect in a swanky new building. For example, a floor-to-ceiling painting of the Gothic duomo in Vico Equense (a coastal town in the Campania region of southern Italy) the couple discovered on a trip to Positano graces one end of the main hall; the antique French buffet greeting visitors at the door belonged to fundraiser extraordinaire Ann Thomas Kerr (they bought it at an estate sale after her death in 1994). Such pieces make the condo feel as if it's been there forever and slowly added to, one exquisite piece at a time.

Its earth tone-colored walls hold an eclectic mix of photographs of their four children and 13 grandchildren mingled among fine artwork. One of the loveliest pieces is a portrait of Mrs. Massaro as a young mother by Zita Davisson, who displayed her work at Manhattan's Bergdorf Goodman department store and made a career out of painting famous faces on canvas (Nancy Reagan and Princess Grace of Monaco, to name a few).

More familiar faces -- the Massaros' grandkids -- are one of the main reasons the couple chose to relocate to the city in general and Shadyside in particular; two granddaughters attend Oakland Catholic just across the street. They also were behind Mrs. Massaro insisting they build on the first floor, even though two connecting units weren't immediately available.

"We didn't want them to have to go up and down stairs," she says.

Walkability was another draw. Oakmont is lovely, but after decades of driving into the city for various events, the Massaros wanted a home within easy walking distance of museums, restaurants and shops. The Metropolitan is smack in the middle of such a neighborhood.

The decision to move is never an easy one, but by the time Mr. Massaro took a tour of the Metropolitan in 2006, the couple was mulling the idea. Not only was their 100-year-old mansion expensive to maintain (the gas bill alone could climb as high as $5,000 in winter) with 15-plus rooms, but also it was getting to be too much work. And that's not even taking into account the swimming pool, sculpture gardens and tennis, basketball and bocce courts.

Stopping by the construction site early one Saturday morning, Mr. Massaro happened to see a man unlocking the gate. It was Todd Reidbord, president of developer Walnut Capital, who showed him the plans architect Lou Astorino had drawn up and introduced him to partner Gregg Perelman. One conversation led to another, and before long, Mr. Massaro had worked out a deal where his people would build out the condo. (One of Massaro's competitors, P.J. Dick, constructed the building.) Construction started right after New Year's 2007, and the couple moved in that July.

One of the toughest aspects of the move was fitting a lifetime of decorating into a third of the space. Michael Tarle, the Massaro Co. director of pre-construction services who managed the project for the Massaros, developed a furniture layout.

Astorino decorator Gil Walsh photographed every room in the old house, which helped the empty nesters decide which pieces to take and what to get rid of, as well as determine where everything would go. That, in turn, helped Mr. Tarle come up with a floor plan to determine where to place plumbing and outlets and choose colors and materials.

Yet if construction was difficult, saying goodbye to their longtime home was almost unbearable, even with a year to get used to the idea. "You just don't know how it affects you -- I was so sad," says Mrs. Massaro. "When we did the final walk-through with the new owners, I burst into tears like I was a 2-year-old."

In the end, the couple couldn't be happier with their new home. As Mrs. Massaro puts it, "There's nothing like having everything brand new." And the neighbors, she adds, are "great."

The heart of the home is the sunlit living room, the centerpiece of which is a massive, decorative stone fireplace. Two walls of windows offer a fantastic view of the wraparound patio, which abuts a large parterre-style garden planted with boxwood and pink rose bushes. Spacious enough to accommodate more than a half-dozen hand-painted Italian ceramic tables, it's the perfect space for entertaining or to simply commune with nature.

Nearly as roomy is the adjoining den, which the Massaros use for casual family meals. Eyes here are drawn first to a huge breakfront decorated with silk tassels, then to the 10-by-4 foot cherry table where the Massaro grandkids eat their cereal after a sleepover. For quiet reading, there's an upholstered settee nestled between a pair of built-in bookcases.

The terra cotta gourmet cherry kitchen features granite countertops and backsplash, a professional Wolf range and a windowed breakfast nook. It's not especially large, but it's still an ideal kitchen to cook in, Mrs. Massaro says, "because everything is so close."

What is large is Mrs. Massaro's elegant walk-in closet, designed by California Closets to accommodate all four seasons of clothes, and the sumptuous marble master bath, which includes twin vanities, a walk-in shower and platform whirlpool tub.

The condo also has two sunny guest suites with private baths and a large TV room off the main hall ("media room sounds so pretentious," says Mrs. Massaro) that's brightened as much by a large window overlooking the garden as by its charming display of family photos.

"I'm just delighted," Mrs. Massaro says of her home, smiling once again. "I like and appreciate it more each and every day."

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