Hot House: 715 Lovegrove Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Nineteenth century carriage house, residential conversion, circa 1959. Painted brick exterior, asphalt shingle roof. 1,500 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no basement. Hardwood floors, working fireplace in living room, sunken kitchen with office. Updated kitchen and appliances, recent roof. Large second floor family room. Central a/c, no parking: $385,000*
What: The front door to 715 Lovegrove opens into a small vestibule. Straight ahead is a cute little one-bedroom house. But (surprise!) to the left, an unexpected stairway leads up to an expansive, high-ceilinged room that could be a dance studio — realtor is calling it a family room – plus a nice sized second bedroom and bath. These rooms add a cool, contemporary aesthetic to the warm and cozy vibe going on downstairs. It would be very easy to have a tenant here, as the two parts of the house feel quite separate. The main part of the house, just inside the door, begins at the living/dining room, which has a working wood-burning fireplace (a total luxury in Mt. Vernon) with a built-in niche for firewood. It’s not a large room, but so adorable you hardly mind. Down a few stairs is the pleasant kitchen, which has hardwood floors, a granite island and stainless steel appliances. A small office adjoins the kitchen. The bedroom has sliding doors overlooking the living room and an adjoining bathroom – not luxurious but perfectly nice. The top floor has the one large room with a pretty wrought iron Juliette balcony overlooking the street. There’s a large second bedroom up here too and a large, newish bathroom. Both bedrooms have big closets. The washer/dryer is hidden from view by a folding screen, which is a bit awkward. It would be nice to have them built into a closet space.
Where: Lovegrove is a quiet street in the center of Mt. Vernon, tucked between Charles Street, Monument, St. Paul and Madison. You are just around the corner from the Washington Monument – close enough to get a front row seat at the Monument lighting, far enough for a quick retreat in case of protesters. Tons of great restaurants around, from City Café to Sotto Sopra. Eddie’s of Mt. Vernon can supply most of your grocery needs, and Spirits of Mt. Vernon, your liquid sustenance. It’s a great neighborhood for walking.
Why: For anyone who loves Mt. Vernon, this is a dream cottage. Lots of curb appeal on a quiet street.
Why Not: The house deserves better doors. From the front door to the bathroom doors, they are poor quality, lower-than-builder’s grade, and not consistent with the rest of the renovation.
Would Suit: Lovers who prefer to sleep apart.
NB: No parking – but you can pay for a spot by your front door for @ $100/mo. (realtor’s best guess).
One website lists this as a Pending Sale, so if you are interested, better move fast.
