264 Summit Avenue

The frame and stucco Colonial Revival style home owned by Roger Powell and Susan Stabnau is located on Summit Avenue near Maryland Avenue. The property includes two lots in the Bellevue Land Company’s “Sunnyside Plan of Lots.”

James Trimble probably was responsible for erecting the fine home at 264 Summit Avenue soon after he purchased the property in 1905. Sons Thomas and Walter worked at their father’s contracting firm and may have been involved in the construction of the house. Trimble was a prosperous contractor and builder, and his family’s time at the home was rather brief and tragic.

They had resided there for only two years when Mary Trimble died in July 1907. In October 1913, 68-year old James Trimble died at home of a stroke. He left a personal estate valued at $10,000 as well as “considerable real estate, the value of which is not estimated.” He bequeathed the home and substantial cash to two of his children, Walter and Mary, and smaller amounts to the other children.

In 1920 the administrator of the Trimble estate conveyed the property to George Sutter Sr. and his wife Helen Sleeth Sutter for $11,500. George Sutter Sr. was a wholesale sugar broker. His firm controlled much of the beet sugar that came into the Pittsburgh market. The Sutters socialized with Pittsburgh’s elite, regularly vacationing at Conneaut Lake, Cambridge Springs, and Bermuda. The senior Sutters resided at the home for the rest of their lives.

In 1983 the estate of George Sutter Sr. conveyed the property to his son George Sutter, Jr. and his wife Frances Sutter. Sutter, Jr. died in December 2004 at the age of 94, and in June 2005 his widow Frances conveyed the property to Mark Francen and Robert Halstead. In October 2009, 264 Summit was conveyed to Roger Powell and Susan Stabnau, the present owners.

Roger and Susan have lived on Summit Avenue since 1998. For the first 12 of those years, they lived across the street from their current home. Susan shared, “When we lived directly across the street for 10 years, we were lucky enough to know Ed and Fran Sutter who were in their late 80s at the time. Ed was quite a character who had the best handlebar mustache. One chilly morning we watched him supervise the delivery of fuel oil in his boxer shorts, a white t-shirt and clippies to shape his mustache curls. A sight to behold!”

While the house was nearly emptied of contents when they bought it, Roger and Susan did inherit a set of original floorplans that show the three main floors along with the basement. There is also a huge attic that isn’t shown. The house plans have been reproduced and house tour patrons will be able to see them hanging on the wall on the 2nd floor.

In the attic Susan and Roger found a huge mound of old magazines: National Geographics from as early as 1919 and Time and Life from the 30s and 40s. The magazines will be a part of the house’s history for future owners. Some that are of particular interest will be available on the 3rd floor for people to carefully look through.

Harper the labradoodle and Phineas the 17-year-old diabetic cat that thinks he’s a dog will be wandering around and welcoming you to the home. And while interior design is Susan’s profession, their home is more about collecting and styling—an assemblage of things from family and friends and their travels and adventures. They love to have people come and enjoy the home they’ve created. It’s a home that is easy to live in with modern conveniences while honoring its original character.