Purchasing this gem on Courtlandt Place means buying into a historicneighborhood & gated community

Editor's Note: Houston is loaded with must-have houses for sale in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. In this continuing series, CultureMap Editor-at-Large Shelby Hodge snoops through some of our faves and gives you the lowdown on what's hot on the market.

15 Courtlandt Place

It takes a special person, one with an appreciation of history and a fondness for close-knit neighborhoods, to make the commitment to buy in the historic gated community of Courtlandt Place. But with the right profile, a potential buyer will find that the oak-shrouded enclave of numerous Historic Register residences is a little piece of heaven, a quiet oasis in the midst of an urban reality.

For buying into Courtlandt Place is buying into a lifestyle and a commitment to historic preservation.

This graceful brick home in a so-called "Latin Colonial" style was completed in 1925, designed by architect Carlos Schoeppl and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The current owners have renovated and updated the home, making it comfortable for today's contemporary lifestyle.

Walk through: Think big, think grand, think Old World for this is the immediate feel on entry, a curving staircase straight ahead, a cozy mahagony-paneled library to the right and an open flow living room to the left. The spacious living room and the adjacent dining room (which can easily seat 16) are washed in light thanks to high ceilings and Palladian-style glass doors and the connecting loggia that is defined by floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors.

Carved millwork, original oak floors and double-sashed windows are part of the charm throughout.

Both the dining room and a hall beneath the staircase lead to the vast kitchen and beyond to a family room with open views to the broad garden, which is substantial considering that the lot is 25,875 square feet.

Bedrooms are located on the second floor and, unexpected in a house of this vintage, three of the five bedroom/study spaces have private baths. The master suite enjoys a sitting room, ample closet spaces and openings to rear and side roof gardens.

The third floor attic space is finished out and can serve as an office, an exercise room, play area or climate-controlled storage area.

The guest house: Completed at the same time as the house itself, the spacious 1,663 free-standing structure has been completely updated and, once inside, reads Asian-influenced contemporary. Airy and open with a double-height ceiling, floating staircase, sleek kitchen and bath and fireplace. It is a pleasing contemporary counterpoint to the main house.

Love: The contemporary sculpture designs incorporated into the landscape by Jesus Moroles. Exceptional are the water feature with granite steppings stones that runs along the drive and the granite fire pit with waterfall.

Access: You could say that Courtlandt Place is off-the-beaten path except that it lies within a stone's throw of downtown and backs up to Montrose. The isolated feel comes from the limited access via a narrow road that runs along side Spur 527 that leads to the Southwest Freeway. The broad boulevard is gated.

Square footage: The main house is 6,832 square foot.

Asking price: $2.6 million.

Listing agent: Jill Wesson.