Holdout Against Developers Left a House and a Legacy

[Are_grits_groceries]

Before construction began on neighboring buildings, Edith Macefield refused developers’ offer of $1 million to sell her house, which was built in 1900. She died in June.

SEATTLE — People love to point out Edith Macefield’s tiny house in the old fishing village of Ballard and recount how she refused an offer of $1 million from developers who wanted to buy it. They had planned to level her home to make way for a boutique supermarket and a health club.

The project, in faux industrial concrete and steel, is more evidence of change in a city whose growth and economic success over the past two decades have put its modest neighborhoods like Ballard under perpetual renovation.

Ms. Macefield had little time for trendy food or fitness. Her interests were opera and Sinatra, Garbo on videotape or the classics in dusty hardback. She had history, too. If she let you in the door, she might recount her escape from a concentration camp while she was an undercover agent for the British during World War II. She might tell of her liaisons, long ago, with men of means and renown.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/us/28edith.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

A salute to you, Ms.Macefield! :patriot:

[Idealism]

1. Ahh LA Fitness

Is there no end to your ruthless expansion?

I would cancel my membership if there was any other gym within 40 miles from here -_-

[murielm99]

2. Touching story. n/t

[NaturalHigh]

3. Good for her!

:applause:

[Hannah Bell]

4. that's ballard? i haven't been there in 20 years. gross.