The Fields of Nicholson is not your ordinary development - and not just because of its extraordinary architecture and custom work. The upscale lifestyle and social network are highly desired by its residents.

This North Hills’ development can be found in the flush hills of Franklin Park. It’s a short 20-minute drive from Downtown Pittsburgh and is surrounded by numerous Wexford shops, hotels, banks and golf courses.

“It’s a beautiful development,” said Dan Sosso, who founded the Fields of Nicholson with partners Michael Kamon and David Steinbach in 2005. “It’s one of the nicest neighborhoods in the North Hills.”

Kamon, Sosso and Steinbach bought the development’s 26 acres because of its fruitful location and proximity to the Steel City. It has attracted homebuyers from different states and countries and has already sold 31 of a possible 100 units.

The landscaping provides a tranquil atmosphere, as trees line across each front yard, beautiful retaining walls are placed behind every unit and brick dividers are used instead of fences to separate the properties. A plan is also in progress to build a fountain at the community’s entrance.

And according to Sosso, the residents are has diverse as the properties. “Our customers are very nice,” he said. “We have a variety of people living there. We have couples. We have people who have lost their husbands and visa versa. It’s a nice neighborhood.”

The finished product allows the development to keep a small-town atmosphere. A clubhouse
and pool, located at the central hub of the community, provides residents with a place to socialize and relax. The clubhouse is equipped with a fully functioning kitchen and fireplace, while the heated pool next door is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Both facilities are free to all Fields of Nicholson residents and
their guests.

“We wanted to have amenities for our people,” Sosso said. “We wanted them to have a place
to get together with their neighbors, so that they’re friendly. The clubhouse is just perfect. There’s a party there almost every weekend.”

The trio’s dedication to custom building sets them apart from the competition. “We do whatever the customer wants us to do,” Sosso said. “Each person is completely different. We’ll even add walls or remove walls for them. We’re very congenial with our customers and they’re very happy working with us.”

Types of Homes
The original plan for the Fields of Nicholson called for four connected townhomes in one unit. But the development’s unique landscaping and rolling hills forced the three builders to divide that idea into one- and
two-unit properties. This allowed more windows to appear on every home and the property value to rise because
of fewer neighbors on each side.

Carriage (duplex) homes begin at $540,000 and are 3,000 square feet in range. The development’s Villas or townhomes start at $440,000 and stretch for 2,400 square feet. Both models are popular among empty-nest couples, who are looking to downsize from a larger home.

“We feel if the market wasn’t the way it is right now, we would be sold out,” Sosso said. “I’m sure we would be. We have a lot of people on the fence, waiting for things to change.”

Sosso’s 30 reliable subcontractors build the houses year round and professional landscapers trim the community’s grass and shrubbery to give customers a maintenance free life.

When it comes to carriage homes, the Primose style is the most often used. In fact, 19 out of the 20 carriage homes built in the Fields of Nicholson are Primose style, which features a seven-window front and a one-door garage opening. Inside, an open layout on the first floor provides residents with extensive flexibility with their space. The second floor loft, which looks down into the living room is perfect for a den, study or media area and
two suites complete the floor plan.

Villas range in style and include many of the similar features. Amenities include: a first floor master suite, vaulted ceilings and spacious open floor designs. The second floor offers two bedroom layouts with a large hall bathroom, generous closet space and eight-foot ceilings. The customer can also decide whether to finish the basement or not.

Both models are complete with an elegant bath and walk-in closet.

On the outside, every home is covered with brick and the roofs are tiled with 30-year shingles. “There is very little painting on the outside of the units,” Sosso said, “so they are very low maintenance.” Inside, customers can find wooden dens, granite tops in the kitchen and tray ceilings in the master bedrooms.

The most distinct feature at the Fields of Nicholson is the homes’ open basements. “You know in your house where you live, you have a door to open up and go to the basement?” Sosso said. “Well, we open ours up and we have a railing there instead of a door. It’s all integral. It’s all part of the home.”That unique aspect gives the home owner a feeling that they have a house without a basement. They can walk from the third floor to the first floor with ease. “This is the main difference in our models and people love it,” Kamon said. But that’s only the start. People can add hardwood or ceramic floors; build wood or marble fireplaces; or simply paint each room a different color. The possibilities are endless.

“We’re truly custom,” Sosso said. “Some builders say they’re custom builders, but they’re not custom builders. They just do a certain amount of changes. They don’t truly customize. In other words, you can’t come in and buy one of our units off the showroom floor. It doesn’t happen that way. We don’t want it any other way because we’re well known for this. It’s our reputation. People might even get $150,000 worth of changes. That’s how many changes we can do.”

To help ease the design process, each Fields of Nicholson customer is given five free hours with decorator Cathy Taylor, owner of C. Taylor Interiors in Franklin Park. “They can use that time however they want,” Taylor said. “They know where they have to go and what selections they have to make. Then they are free to use me to make whatever selections they want within that five hour time frame.”

For interior designs, Taylor takes the clients to selected providers in the Pittsburgh area. The Ohio Valley Design Center designs and installs kitchen and bath cabinets. Lighting by Eric North helps brighten the customer’s home. And Blakeley Tile and Marble lays out beautiful kitchen and bathroom floors. Other subcontractors include: Acme Clay Products, Anderson Windows, J & L Exteriors, David Hultz Excavating, F.J. Baehr Architect, Straits Door Company, Kozik Brothers, E.A. Thaner & Associates, and Greyfox Services, which helps build many home theaters in the Fields of Nicholson.

“Even in the Fields of Nicholson, where all the homes have the same floor plan, they don’t look alike because they allow customers to do different things and different design work,” Taylor said. “We try to keep each house a little unique.”

The Surrounding Community
Being seconds away from Interstate 79, allows residents easy access to all the Greater Pittsburgh area has to offer. The Fields of Nicholson is minutes away from Downtown Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh International Airport, the PA Turnpike, shopping areas, restaurants and entertainment sites.

In Franklin Park alone, residents have a variety of choices:
• The community is located in the North Allegheny School District; seven elementary schools, three middle schools, one intermediate and one high school.
• The Baierl Family YMCA is a hop, skip and a jump from the Fields of Nicholson. Special discounts ($40 a month) are given to area residents.
• Local area golf courses; Franklin Park Golf Course, Diamond Run Golf Club, Sewickley Heights Country Club, Allegheny Country Club and Cloverhill Golf Course.
• Area Parks; Franklin Park, Blueberry Hill Park, Acorn Park and Linbrook Park.

Signature Homes Team
The trio of Michael Kamon, Dan Sosso and David Steinbach founded their company, Signature Homes, in 1996. Between the three of them, they have over 60 years of building and development experience.

Sosso is a native of East Liberty and broke into the construction business when he volunteered to work for free in his early 20s. Since then, he started his own company, Dan R. Sosso Builder, Inc., and has continued to build custom and luxury homes for 31 years.

Kamon, a native of Israel, arrived in the United States in the early 1960s. He and Steinbach created Nomak Custom Homes in 1984 and have built custom homes throughout the Pittsburgh region since then. They also own a land development company called M&D Properties.

The Builder’s Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh awarded Signature Homes with the 2008 Home Builder of the Year award for their work on carriage homes in the Fields of Nicholson and their Cranberry development, Avonworth Heights. They have also received the prestigious Housing Excellence Award, the Community of the Year Award and the Golden Hammer Award, while Sosso and Kamon have been recognized as Builders
of the Year as well.

“Our goal is to make the customers happy and satisfied,” Sosso said. “We take care of them. If you’re not going to be our friend when we’re done building a home for you, we probably don’t want to build for you.” NH