Monday, August 25, 2008

Man Paint House Lime Green With Purple Dots in Dispute

When the Avondale Estates Historic Preservation Commission wouldn't approve plans for a rounded stoop on a house Stan Pike owns on Kensington Road, he had it painted this way in protest. Stan Pike believes that if you can't beat City Hall, you can at least go down swinging -- and in his case, that means with a paint brussh.

The Avondale Estates man lost his bid Monday night to get that city's Historic Preservation Commission to approve his plan to add a rounded front stoop to a house he's renovating on Kensington Road. Pike said it was the second time in two months that he had wrangled with the board over changes to the house.

Pike stewed about it Tuesday, then went to work Wednesday morning. He called two painters. By day's end they had painted the front of the house lime green, then added large, purple polka dots.

Pike seems to enjoy being a little difficult himself. With a large smile, he told gawkers at the lime-green house that he's amended his list of chores to next include scattering old toilets, filled with geraniums, around the front yard.

The uproar left Hutmacher, just three months on the job, scrambling to find out if he can make Pike repaint the house its original white color. So far no luck. The city attorney was out of town Wednesday and Hutmacher's staff was continuing to comb through the law books.

Horace, who lives nearby, said she would vote for the more dignified white. "I support the man's protest, but please, that's gotta go," she said.

Pike isn't budging. He actually lives in another house in Avondale and bought this one for $180,000 to renovate and resell.

1 comment:

  1. WOW! Lime green with purple polka dots. With the addition of the assorted lawn "furniture", he might have a chance at getting the approval he seeks.
    Just do not try to sell with the above conditions. In this market, curb appeal is everything.

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