On the Market: Converted barn in Doylestown for $2.27M

On the Market profiles homes for sale in the Philadelphia region.

When Tom Mahoney saw the old Doylestown barn and farmhouse on Holicong Road for the first time, it was filled with debris and needed significant work.

"The barn was basically falling down and rotting away," Mahoney said. "The roof leaked, there were many sideboards and windows missing, there were hundreds of bats, bees and hornets living in this section of the building."

But he and his wife, Karen, were drawn to the 1850s Bucks County property for two reasons: they wanted a farmhouse – which was located on the other side of the property from the barn – and they wanted a space that provided them with the possibility of having horses.

Plus, Mahoney, the chief operating officer for a financial trading software firm, said he and his wife were looking to stay in the area as they were currently living just a few miles away in Buckingham.

They purchased the home in 2005 knowing that they were going to have to complete some renovations, but they weren't sure how much.

"I was just looking to add a couple of garages and fix the barn and it ended up being a much grander plan," Mahoney said.

The couple hired architect Peter Stampfl to help them design the home, and then spent the next three years renovating.

It became a massive renovation project that ultimately transformed the 5-acre property. They connected the barn to the farmhouse by adding a middle addition and made it one large living space that is now more than 9,000 square feet.

"Our final design was much different than we ever imagined when we embarked on the project," Mahoney said.

Mahoney said after consulting with Stampfl several times, he and his wife explored various layouts and ultimately decided on this more expansive design.

The barn, which had horse stalls on the first floor and a storage space for hay on the second floor, now connects to a brand new wing and includes four bedrooms, three baths, a great room, dining area, media room, family room, and more.

"The work involved in renovating the barn was extensive," Mahoney said.

They hired experts to replace all of the rotting beams and straighten out the barn, as it was falling over. Once that was complete, they dug out the old stalls and removed decades' worth of debris. Then finally, they removed the old barn boards and replaced it with new siding, and built out the interior and the connecting addition.

Original features of the barn still in tact are the exposed beams and rafters, as well as stone walls on the first floor. Mahoney said the flooring in the barn and the connecting addition is made of wood that was shipped from an old barn in Ohio.

Renovations in the farm house – which includes another four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, dining room, and kitchen – were not as extensive, as it was already a livable space.

"The house was in fair condition for something built in the 1850s but needed some repair work and painting done, replacement of all of the windows which were falling apart, and refinishing of the hardwood floors," Mahoney said.

The farmhouse has the original wide pumpkin pine floors in the living room and dining room, and original moldings and fireplace in the living room.

Other special amenities in the home include a pool cabana, exercise room, and two garages.

The home is situated on five acres, and is surrounded by preserved land.

"It's a quiet, country, rural-type setting," Mahoney said.

But after nine years spent in the home, the couple is looking to downsize in the area and have put the home on the market for $2.27 million.

"We love the peaceful location of the home," Mahoney said. "We have naturally preserved land flanking our property. Also, even though the home is expansive, each room feels very cozy."

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