House of the week: A homebuilder’s personal home in Fishtown for $975,000
“Good location, nice block, family-friendly,” says the current owner, who built the home in 2021.
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For builder and real estate developer Mark Shearman, it seemed like the perfect chance to blend the old and the new in a home for himself, his wife, Regina, and their young daughter.
“Good location, nice block, family-friendly,” he said. And an unusually wide lot for the Fishtown neighborhood. So in 2021 he razed the small house on the property and built a four-bedroom, three-bath home in its place.
But the arrival of a second child and other personal circumstances have the Shearmans headed for Garnet Valley in Delaware County and looking for a buyer for his creation.
The home has ample working and office space — Regina is a lawyer — and Mark considers it a blend of traditional and innovative.
He takes particular pride in the use of rare and recycled materials, including stair treads from milled floor joists, blue stone in the entrance foyer and back yard, and a reclaimed tin ceiling in the entrance hallway that he bought from a neighborhood barber shop.
On the first floor, the enclosed cedar entryway steps lead into a large vestibule.
The office – which can double as a guest suite – is also on the first floor, and there is a custom tile bathroom and easy access to the garden and patio.
The kitchen, on the second floor, has a long quartz island, custom tilework, KitchenAid appliances, a built-in pantry, and an adjacent powder room. There is also an outdoor terrace.
The third floor has the primary suite, with dedicated HVAC, custom woodwork, warehouse-style window elements, a walk-in closet, and a private bath with a heated floor and custom Carrara tile.
The fourth floor has the other two bedrooms, and hall stairs leading up to the roof deck, with a pilot house and views of the surrounding neighborhood and the Center City skyline.
There are white oak whitewashed floors throughout as well as Pella aluminum-clad windows and a one-car garage.
The house is wired for sound and security systems and total square footage is 2,520.
There are eight years remaining on the tax abatement.
The house is listed by Jeff Carpineta of Solo Real estate for $975,000.