Here is my documentation: http://picasaweb.google.com/jhaggard1/MercerIslandNeighborlyLove#.

One thing that saddens me is the sign placed at the foot of the complainant’s slide for their children, not a good example for young people.

My solution would to make amends with the neighbor and to jointly commission a top rate artist to turn that concrete wall into a mural that would make both home owners proud.

The sign(s), humorous at first are massive indicators of deep unhappiness (with or without the offending design). Might wish to proof read the signs as well.

Let’s hope they turn this around.

Fan of the Lake.

Just stumbled upon this, several months later, and was struck by the insistence that the sign was temporary, although there were no indications by Greg either in your on-dock discussion or by him in the post.

Is the sign still up? That would make it less than temporary, and a tick in favor of all who are asking who is the real jerk here? If it’s down, then it’s down and a tick in your argument’s favor.

Greg, about the thumbs up from passers by, that’s unprovable evidence because you aren’t able to count the people who are boating past thinking the sign is a bad idea, nor the people who are boating past saying, that is going to be a gorgeous house and worth being stacked up on each other.

You are arguing to contradictory points as well, both the wall is ugly, but its not about aesthetics its about privacy. I agree with the some sort of trees native to your area, especially something you like looking at.

Privacy is a strange thing. What exactly do you do in your house/yard that curtains or a pergola etc, can’t protect your privacy? I apparently have a less developed sense of privacy or more of a proclivity to draw the curtains at night so people on the sidewalk don’t see me watching TV in my boxers.

In the end, its about whats “cool”. most of us understand that. it’s “cool” to drive a multi colored VW van with flowers all over it. its not cool to drive it at 50 MPH down the freeway while slowing traffic. its “cool” to like weird art, its not cool to stick it all over your yard and force everyone to look at it. the house next door may be “cool” in its design (to each his own). how it sits on the lot and agressively denies the neighbors privacy is NOT COOL.

Anyone can figure that out, and thats likely why 100% of the people that cruise by give the thumbs up and state their disgust with the house and how it sits. (BTW, the more you look at it, the more stupid it really appears)

1. My neighbors to the east cannot see the water because the existing house already blocks them. They can probably just see maybe the upper tips of the mountains from their upper level. Although my house may get taller in some areas, I’m thinking about taking out the trees on the right side of the property to give them a possible peek-a-boo of the water through the sideyard. If their view actually ends up being better after I’m done, then great!

2. I’m going to tear out the existing fence between my house and my neighbor to the north and rebuild it. It’s very low in one spot which reduces privacy for me but allows them to see southward towards Elliott Bay. I am going to keep the fence low enough so they do not lose this visibility.

3. Although I want the master bedroom to face northwest, I am taking care to make sure it has no visibility into the neighbor’s house to the north.

Additionally, I’ve already met a lot of neighbors from the block (there have been two block parties over the last month! awesome) and everyone I’ve talked to has been extremely supportive of getting rid of what’s there and replacing it with a modern home. The more nice houses on this block, the better it is for everyone’s property value.

Mike – curious, are you going to invite your future neighbors to some or all of your meetings with your designers/builders? (just got done reading your other site, A House In The Park). If you do, you’ll probably get a feel-good groovy feeling first meeting, then it would turn to nausea as you realize the can of worms you opened up. You can’t please everyone all the time. Especially when it comes to an individuals taste in architecture. Sure you’re a smart guy, taking extra care, extra thought into every move you make but your future house is still going to be labeled an eyesore by someone close by. Guarantee it.

We have built two homes on MI and each time the architect has made sure that the design did not obstruct the view or privacy of the homes on either side of us.

Here is a lady who has tried to do (and done) the right thing whenever she has built houses in the past, and what happens to her? She is now part of Justin Gramm’s fishbowl. Sort of backs up your “no good deed” theory, but again, I don’t think that excuses this sort of contempt for your neighbors.

I just find it fascinating that as the author of the sign, Greg has worried himself so many times with defending himself on your blog. Not that there’s any better place to handle it, but honestly why does he even care to participate in this forum? Greg will merely do what he wants. He already has in posting the sign. What does it matter to him what we all think of his actions?

It’s not like someone will post the magical comment and he’ll change his mind and remove the sign.

So I guess I could echo his last question and redirect it back at Greg… What’s the point of all this?

Neither side is convincing the other, really. Whether in the forum or over at J⋃stin’s house. Take the sign down and stop defending why you put it up in the first place. It’s serving absolutely no purpose physically. (Namely it’s not moving or changing the house.) Which is the only response which will satisfy your disdain, Greg.

Your sign will not make the concrete wall go away, nor the fourth floor come down a notch or two.

Exercise in the right to make nasty signage… ok. Yeah. Check. Successful.

Exercise resulting in actually getting something resolved. Not so much.

MK: I’m not sure Greg requires the approval of anyone here. He’s just defending his stance against a large group of visitors who all came from the same architecture forum site (not mine). You’re probably right in that it’s barking up the wrong tree though, and you’re definitely right about people being passive-aggressive up here in Seattle… I’ve definitely noticed that at times. Not sure how it compares to the rest of the country though. There are probably P/A people everywhere.