After the news of her resilience to corporate pressure hit the internet, Macefield and her house became a symbol of strength, inspiring the model for the house in the Pixar movie “Up”.
Edith Macefield, sadly passed away in 2008 at 87-years-old, leaving her house to Barry Martin, a construction chief at an adjacent building site. Martin had often helped Edith—who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer—by driving her to appointments and looking after her. Thankful for his kindness, Edith repaid the favor by leaving him her famous home.
Originally. Martin had planned to turn Edith’s home into a memorial, but the plans fell through. He has since sold the house to a real estate coaching firm known as Reach Returns, now known as Cor Company.
Many investors lost their money on the house as restorations came to a halt. Reach Returns collected a lot of money under the premise they would lift the house 30-feet up in the air, but this never happened.
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She should have taken the $1million. Even if she didn't need the money, it could have done a lot more good than a rotting house.
ReplyDeleteAt 84, the money didn't matter to her, she just wanted to live in her home. Can't blame her. What are you going do with a million dollars at 84 and dying of cancer? Money isn't everything.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the story of Elizabeth "Nancy" Smith who owned Blandair Farm in Howard County. She refused to sell to Rouse and Columbia had to be built around Blandair. This is why Columbia has a lot of dead ends. Rouse felt so certain Miss Smith would sell, that streets were constructed right up to her property lines waiting for the day she would sell and development could procede.
ReplyDeleteShe too was offered pretty decent money, but already had an estate worth over 15 million. When she died (late 80' early 90's can't remember) the county bought the property from the heirs for a park. Not exactly her wishes but she hemmed and hawed on a will and when she finally agreed on one, she decided to sleep on it before signing , had a stroke that evening and died.
This very same thing is happening now with a new hotel being built in Bethany Beach.
ReplyDeleteThis happened in one of the boroughs of New York, too, over 40 years ago. It was weird to drive by and see a little frame house and postage stamp yard surrounded on three sides by giant buildings. Does anyone know what became of it?
ReplyDeleteThe same thing happened with a local hospital.
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