Sparrows Point home near former Bethlehem Steel site

Above: The home sits on 1 acre at the mouth of Back River.

The great room at 7521 Chesapeake Ave. in Sparrows Point has a vaulted ceiling. Kimberly Kruk/Next Door Photos

Right: The dining room at 7521 Chesapeake Ave. in Sparrows Point has a picture window with water views.

Address: 7521 Chesapeake Ave., Sparrows Point

List price: $1,395,000

Year built: 2005

Real estate agent: Daniel McGhee, Homeowners Real Estate

Last sold price/date: n/a

Property size: 1.07 acres

Unique features: Think trendy waterfront homes in the metro area, and places like Annapolis, Gibson Island and Edgewater come to mind. But Sparrows Point? Once an afterthought for finicky buyers, the community near the one-time site of the Bethlehem Steel plant now boasts some upscale properties, like this custom-built, three-story coastal-style home at the mouth of Back River.

The 20-year-old house has five bedrooms, 3.5 baths and more than 4,000 square feet of living space. A covered front porch and expansive rear decks on the first and second levels face nearby Rocky Point State Park, Hawk Cove and Hart Miller Island, a refuge for migratory birds, boaters and nature lovers.

The great room offers a gas fireplace and a 13-foot vaulted ceiling; the dining room has two sets of French doors and a generous picture window with a sweeping water vista. The kitchen kicks in with maple cabinets and a huge granite island. One bathroom sports a Jacuzzi tub which — surprise! — overlooks the water.

The 1-acre property is a busy one, with a four-car parking pad and a two-car, two-story detached garage, the second level of which is a workshop. There are two sheds on the premises, a handsome pier and a covered boathouse with a 20,000-pound boatlift and two raised slips. The final frill: a gazebo, near the dock, that serves as a crab shack.

Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at [e-mail] and 410-332-6456.