Hot House: 1007 Windsor Road, Sudbrook Park, Baltimore County, 21208
Cedar shingle, L-shaped Dutch Colonial, circa 1891, designed by Lawrence Fowler. Five bedrooms, four baths, 3,912 sq. ft. over three levels, with unfinished attic and basement. Heart pine and hardwood floors throughout, crown moldings, built in walnut floor-to-ceiling bookcases, multiple fireplaces and French doors. New kitchen, three screened porches, glass sunroom, zoned central a/c and whole house generator. Stone garage and landscaped gardens on 1.7 acres: $649,000
What: Just north of the Baltimore City limits, adjacent to but separate from Pikesville, is the Olmsted-designed community of Sudbrook Park. As a historic note, the Olmsted who designed Sudbrook Park in 1889 is Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., the father of American landscape architecture, who designed Central Park and Prospect Parks in New York, as well as the Stanford University and University of Chicago campuses, among other noteworthy projects. His son, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., headed the firm that later designed much of Roland Park, and the two Olmsteds are often confused. The son was heavily influenced by the father, however, and the neighborhoods have a similar feeling. Both are designated Maryland Historic Districts. (The British investors in the Roland Park Company had more money, and consequently its houses are more substantial and architecturally embellished than those in Sudbrook Park.)
Number 1007 Windsor Road was designed by the architect Lawrence Fowler, whose lovely, English-style homes were built throughout Baltimore’s more prosperous neighborhoods in the early part of the 1900s. It is an unpretentious country house, with gambrel roof and cedar shakes, built in 1911 for “a maiden woman of comfortable means,” who was a personal friend of Fowlers. The house has been well-maintained and updated over the years; its original cedar shake roof replaced by architectural shingles in 2003, all the windows removed, restored, reglazed and replaced, a new HVAC system installed and the house completely weatherized. Attic and basement are amazingly clean and dry – storage will never be a problem here. Downstairs are nice living and dining rooms, family room, sunroom, new kitchen with granite counters and custom cabinets, and butler’s pantry as well as several screened porches. All five bedrooms are upstairs: the master bedroom on the second floor adjoins a large dressing room, which could easily be converted to a bathroom. Overall, this is a charming and comfortable family house in a picturesque setting.
Where: Sudbrook Park is a neighborhood of winding roads and majestic trees. There are about 500 houses, about 150 of which are part of the original plan for Sudbrook Park. Just off of Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, the easiest access is probably from Old Court Road via I-83 and the beltway. It’s near the Millford Mill and Old Court stops on the Baltimore Metro, so there’s good public transport to downtown and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Nearest shopping is Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, (Trader Joes!) Nearby private schools include McDonogh, Park and Garrison Forest. The public elementary Wellwood International School offers French language immersion, and students can attend Towson, Carver and Western public high schools.
Why: Window seat in dining room. Country-in-the-city feeling.
Why Not: Some wall-to-wall carpet that might not be your style.
NB: Tight community, family friendly, interesting neighbors… artists, teachers, Hopkins docs, professors.
Another tempting house – Cynthia’s descriptions make you think about moving!
Thanks Kathleen, but I hope your not actually thinking of moving ….