Just after the turn of the last century, this section of Rydal which encompasses over 250 acres had only 10 estate properties. As is the custom, these estates all had names & while most of them have been demolished, only the memories remain as road names. The Barrowdale estate was first constructed for Curwen Stoddard Jr. on 18 acres. Next door was the Lorraine estate, situated on another 18 acres. These two estates were sub-divided & developed, starting in the 1920's all the way through the 1960's, creating what is now Barrowdale Road. It has a wonderful mix of architecture, with sidewalks that line the street as it undulates with the terrain. This quiet street is just 2 blocks long, & there is practically no through traffic. The Rydal SEPTA station is just 2 blocks around the corner, making it easy for commuters to get to Temple, downtown Philadelphia & the Penn/Drexel campuses or to pop into the city for an evening meal, concert or stage production. This listing began its life in 1941 as a classic stone & cedar Colonial with 3 bedrooms upstairs & 1 downstairs. The house was expanded with the addition of a vaulted Great Room & first floor Master suite with a walk-in closet, fireplace & en-suite bath with an oversized shower & dual vanities (renovated in 2013). Both of these rooms have French doors to the fenced rear yard. The lay-out of the house is ideal for multiple generations, with the options of both the 1st floor & 2nd floor (original) master suites. A circular drive provides ample parking for guests, while the side driveway leads to the 2-car garage tucked into the basement. Ascend the bluestone steps to the front door & enter into the Great Room. The vaulted ceiling has exposed beams, while the original exterior stone wall (with windows!) is now a fantastic focal point. The central fireplace is flanked by a series of bookcases & a wet bar. The original kitchen windows now open into the Great Room, providing sightlines into the living areas. The original living room is now the oversized dining room with the 3rd fireplace. A large cased opening provides direct access to the renovated kitchen (in 2006) with a huge bay window overlooking the pool. A large central island houses the gas cooktop while one wall houses the SubZero fridge, wall oven & microwave as well as a floor to ceiling pantry. The sink wall has the dishwasher, & the granite counters extend into the bay window, providing a great space to grow herbs year round. Glass upper cabinets flank the last wall with the large window open to the Great Room. A little alcove area (where the piano currently sits) would be a lovely space for a breakfast table. A cozy den is just off the kitchen, & the first floor laundry also has a wall of cabinets & another sink. Beyond the laundry is another door to the rear yard, as well as another bedroom with its own en-suite full bathroom. At the original front entry, the powder room is tucked away from everything (with a linen closet) & the oversized coat closet. Upstairs, the original master suite has a vaulted ceiling with multiple closets. The en-suite bath has a stall shower, & is inter-connected to the 4th bedroom. That bedroom has a large walk-in closet, 2 large wall closets & a window overlooking the Great Room below. There is another (4th) full bathroom that services the 4th & 5th bedrooms as well as another linen closet in the hall. A pull-down staircase provides access to the fully floored attic for storage. The basement provides a finished area from the garage to the stairs & a large un-finished area for storage. Out back, in addition to the lovely in-ground pool, there's a fantastic fish pond with a small waterfall that provides the soothing sound of running water. The lush landscaping provides exceptional privacy from the neighbors, making one feel like you're out in Chester County, yet within minutes to everything Rydal has to offer, including the Whole Foods Market & Trader Joe's just 3 minutes away! 2019-10-02
This property is off market, which means it's not currently listed for sale or rent on Zillow. This may be different from what's available on other websites or public sources.
