Peek inside a featured Mexican War Streets House & Garden Tour home
The garage at the Mexican War Streets home of Beth and John Kocur doesn’t have any vehicles. It does, however, have several comfortable couches and chairs, big screen televisions and a fully stocked bar.
The owners call it The Back Alley Drinkery.
The Kocurs often open the garage door to the alley of the North Avenue home on Pittsburgh’s North Side and entertain guests for sporting events.
The Back Alley Drinkery will be open on Sept. 7 as the home is on the slate for the 53rd annual Mexican War Streets House & Garden Tour. The tour features restored homes, as well as private and community gardens.
The couple has lived in the Mexican War Streets since 2000. Beth Kocur is from Maryland and John Kocur is from Vandergrift. When they originally moved to Pittsburgh, they they fell in love with the Mexican War Streets and the uniqueness of the homes. They never looked anywhere else.
They’ve lived in three houses in the area within a three-block radius. They purchased their current home in 2007 from a non-profit called The Church Army, a Christian-based organization focused on helping people with addictions. The Church Army sign remains out front.
“They are wonderful people and their purpose is good,” said Beth Kocur.
For a year, the couple renovated the interior of the home, taking it from four apartments and turning it into a single-family house. It was divided into four apartments.
During the extensive renovation, they gutted the house, which was built in 1887.
They moved into the home in 2008. At that time, they began to completely update the outdoor space, which was all gravel and surrounded by a chain link fence. They installed a new fence and fountain and added a weeping blue atlas tree.
Beth Kocur, who has an architectural background, wanted to transform the garage into a relaxing space and have a second-floor yoga studio. A collection of decorative Budweiser mugs inspired by her father is displayed above the bar.
The house tour will include the first and second floors, outdoor patio and fountain and, of course, the garage.
“I love older homes,” Beth Kocur said. “They have such good bones and structure. We describe our style as homey comfort. It’s a mixed bag of stuff and what speaks to us.”
During the renovation, they turned the first-floor front parlor into a spacious living room, creating more of an open space, while still maintaining specific rooms. A decorative bubble globe chandelier hangs in the dining room above a round table. The kitchen includes an island and large doors with a view of the patio.
“I want each area of the home to visually have its own purpose,” Beth Kocur said.
The couple retained the original staircase going up to the second and third floors. They removed plaster to expose some brick.
The floors are made of black walnut from trees Beth Kocur’s father cut down. There are four fireplaces, three gas and one electric. In the primary bedroom, there is a walk-in closet. Some of the overhead beams are exposed and a skylight is a focal point.
The house has an interesting footprint — it is 75 feet in length.
The marble flooring and wainscoting in the vestibule and the four marble fireplaces are all original to the home. That’s what appeals to James Bachota, Mexican War Streets House Tour chair. The couple said they wanted to preserve the original character of the house and Bachota recognized that.
“The preservation of original features on a house that went under such extensive interior renovation is wonderful to see,” Bachota said via email.
Beth Kocur said the tour gives people who don’t live in the Mexican War Streets an opportunity to get a good look at the neighborhood. One of the selling points of this area of Pittsburgh for John Kocur is the diversity of the neighborhood.
“I enjoy being here when people come in and I like to listen to their feedback and answer any questions they may have,” Beth Kocur said. “It is nice to hear they love what we have done. That feels really good. And we love it when people stop by the garage when walking through the alley.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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