Backyard treehouse survives Manhattan legal fight

AP via SFGate ^ | 10/27/10 | VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press

[SmithL]

In the countryside, in the suburbs or even in the leafier districts of New York's outer boroughs, a treehouse would hardly raise an eyebrow. But in a historic Manhattan neighborhood whose residents have included Mark Twain and Eleanor Roosevelt, it raised hackles.

Shortly after Melinda Hackett put up the round, cedar treehouse for her girls in a broad-trunked London Plane tree in her tiny Greenwich Village backyard, a neighbor called about "a structure in rear which is nailed to a tree" and "looks unsafe," with no construction permit posted, according to a complaint filed with the city.

[SmithL]

[patton]

I had a little treehouse in manhatten when I was a kid.

It was 60’ off the ground, wedged between two buildings.

You should have seen my father freek out, when he found it...

[bgill]

An architec with plans, several workmen, permits, $5k to build it, and another $5 for the lawsuit all for a treehouse.

[Ditto]

Dang. Nice tree house. She could probably get $1000/mo rent for that in Manhattan. It's just as big as most apartments and with the ceder, probably roach free. I wonder if it has a river view? ;~))