On The Market: Chestnut Hill estate with private pond, recording studio
The four-bedroom home includes three full baths and a powder room over 2,361 square feet. The current owners have done some remodeling over 20 years, including adding a recording studio in the basement.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-pmn.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5QM6YRUS7FDPJCB3UTNYHCD56Y.jpg)
When Marilyn and John Dombroski were house hunting in 1996, they were looking for a single-story property. It took a few months to find their Chestnut Hill home, but when they saw it, they knew it was right for them.
"When we walked into the property," Marilyn said, "we just looked at each other with wide eyes."
The couple loved the location and the neighborhood.
"Walking distance to a shopping district with small-town appeal was perfect for us," she said. "Having two train stations and a bus station each a 10-minute walk away, proximity to major highways and a well-known hiking park were all bonuses."
The four-bedroom home includes three full baths and a powder room over 2,361 square feet. Dombroski said they've done some remodeling in the intervening 20 years, for modernization purposes as well as accessibility. They added granite countertops to the kitchen and created a roll-in shower in the bathroom. Laundry quarters were moved to the ground level. The couple built a recording studio in the basement.
"We built two rooms down there, one of which is soundproofed and contains a windowed booth for use as a recording studio," she said. "Those walls can easily be removed if someone wants to open up the space again."
Her favorite part of the renovation is also among her favorite spots on the property.
"When the weather is nice, my favorite place is outside by the pond," she said.
The couple rebuilt the pond when they purchased the property, adding a waterfall, which soon became home to fish and frogs.
"The fish swarm over looking for a treat, and the sound of the waterfall is very soothing," she said.
They have decided it's time to sell in order to be closer to family, Dombroski said. But they'll miss Chestnut Hill.
"A block and a half behind the house there's access to the 20-mile long Wissahickon Trail," she said. "Living here is like living in a rural area, but with city services and everything you need close by."
Dombroski said a move will also allow them to enjoy a warmer climate.
"We want to go somewhere warmer before another icy Northeast winter hits," she said. "We love the home, and it's really hard to move, but we know its' the right thing for us now."
The home is currently listed with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox and Roach's Kay Mooney for $625,000.