How real-life Up homeowner forced developers to build skyscrapers around her

A REAL-life Up homeowner forced developers to build a mall around her 108-year-old farmhouse.

Edith Macefield bought the home in 1952 with her mum and refused to leave even when she was offered £770,000 to move.

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Despite her stubborn stance, the then 84-year-old pensioner became good friends with the property developers during their long, drawn-out negotiations.

She was offered $1m (£770,000) to leave her home in Seattle, Washington, but turned it down, saying she didn’t want the stress of moving, and the story hit the headlines in 2006.

Developers had upped their offer from $750,000 (£576,000) but Edith remained determined to stay.

Construction manager for the development, Barry Martin, became good friend with her and helped her with favours, including making her meals and giving her lifts to appointments, the Daily Record reports.

The two became so close that Edith left the house to Martin when she died in 2008.

Martin though had to sell the property when he was made unemployed during an economic downturn.

But the pensioner gave him her blessing to sell up before she died.

He said: “She told me to hold out until I got my price. I sold it for $310,000 (£238,100).”

While reports have indicated Edith’s story was the inspiration for the 2009 Disney movie Up, it was later revealed production on the film began back in 2004.

The house was used by Disney though when the film premiered in Seattle and decorated the front of the house with balloons.

The story had a happy ending too with the developers eventually promising to save the house from demolition in April 2018.

When rumours spread the property was going to be knocked down, a rally was organised but when those rumours proved to be unfounded it turned into a celebration.

At the time Ballard Blocks developer, Regency Centers, told local news station Q13 News the house would stay and become part of a new development Ballard Blocks 2.

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