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Now read on to the rest of the polka dot house story!
We live in world of neat and tidy homes, perfectly groomed cul de sacs, and picture perfect facades. But one man’s house in Grand Forks, ND has broken the mold and is anything but cookie cutter.
Driving through downtown Grand Forks, one will see banks and restaurants, older homes and brick buildings. 523 University Ave is decidedly different, thanks to owner Jimmy Deitz, who decided to add a bit of whimsy to an otherwise drab neighborhood.
The retired painter decided to do what he does best, and began to paint the exterior of his 100 year old home (which he rents out) in a variety of vibrant polka dots. As he worked, crowds began to gather with some shouting suggestions for the next color of dot. Word spread around town and beyond. The story of the polka dot house has been in the Huffington Post and Yahoo News. The Associated Press picked up the story, and the old house became a hit! I had to see it for myself, so I drove by and snapped a few pics.
Deitz claims that the paint job was all in fun, but does acknowledge that the city had been attempting to buy out his home, as it sits in an area of heavy development. Recently, a large apartment complex was built right next door.
Ryan Brooks, the city’s senior planner, said the polka dot house is an eyesore and that he thinks it’s Deitz’s way of protesting the city’s decision not to buy the property.
According to the AP, Brooks said, “It’s hard to say what this gentleman’s true motives are. I think my opinion is the same as everybody — I wouldn’t want to be living next to it.”
Deitz says that the fun paint job was just his way of brightening up the neighborhood, and I can tell you that residents seem to love it.
But the city planner gets in a final jab, claiming that the funky facade is unlikely to start a trend. “I don’t see this as a trend because most people take a little pride in their homes,” Brooks said. “The paint he’s putting on that thing is the only thing new on it. It’s in rough shape.”
Ouch!
Property rights. It’s his house…he can do what he wants.
I think this house is fun and whimsical. I have yet to meet a person who has seen it who does not like it. It is next to brick apartment buildings and other older, worn down houses, as well as being close to the downtown business district. I find it humorous that it is considered an eyesore amongst those surroundings.
Yes, that’s all we need. Another uni-color, unimaginative, box to crawl in to and, wait to die. Ryan Brooks says it’s an eyesore. I say, open your eyes and, think outside of the uniformity. I guess Mr. Brooks would have a fit if some one stepped out of line. This world has all but lost it’s imagination and creativity. If a crowd, in the area, gathered to help pick out colors for the dots, then it’s not an eyesore to the community and that’s what counts. If the community can embrace the dots, why can’t the city’s senior planner? Paint something creative on the ugly, uni-color, unimaginative, boring, boxes we live in, and go to to shop at. I think all communities should brake out of the uniformity and, get creative. Bring back the imagination. This world is all but dead. The zombies aren’t like in the movies. The zombies are the people who are so uniformed, they can’t accept the creativity of the polka dots around them. Or, go ahead and let the city officials dictate what color your home, car, clothes etc… should be. Be careful though, they will keep dictating. They will dictate what music you should listen to, what food you should eat; wait, thay already try to do that. Darn do gooders. They take the fun and life out of everything.
True, everyone has their opinions and he has the right not to sell it and unless it is a controlled neighborhood, he can do whatever he likes with it. Planner may not like to live near it, I WOULD LOVE IT — freedom of expression, brings color and liveliness to the area and home…like watching a black and white movie and seeing a cigarette burning — the burning or only color really blasts the scene with originality — AWESOME– cities dont always get what they want and he did something creative — awesome — big props — not theirs, it is his and glad he has chosen what he did with it
awesome.
Why not? Who said houses had to be solid colors. We used to live in caves. Maybe we should go back to square wheels and live in caves. Variety is the spice of life. I like it, it’s fun.
Lynn
Good for him! I grew up with a famous “plaid” home nearby, and the owner,also a painter, kept it neatly done for years, redoing the colors as one set of colors became outdated. It became the loved local landmark.
i absolutely LOVE this house!!!
what a great enrichement and happy sight for the neighbourhood!!!
mostly awesome!
i wish there would be more people like him to make the world a brighter place!!
admiring greetings from germany
wonderful house and a great spirit guy!
I LOVE IT!!!!
I wish I had a house of my own to paint in a funky way.
I think the city planner is a snob! Who cares if a house it old (personally, I love older houses best and loved the shape of the house along with the colors) I think if you love it, and it’s yours, and its not offensive (its not naked body parts!) then, do for it!
Nice, as a matter of fact, who cares about the opinion of a few. There could be no more than about 20 city council members who make such a claim that it is an eyesore. If ya don’t like it, give him enough money to build a new house on the same bit of land. Or you should have offered to paint it yourselves. It’s what makes the owner happy, that’s why people buy homes.
I think it’s adorable! The City Planner…. has no eye for art!!!
(If my homeowners wouldn’t sue me….. I would do it to!!) What’s wrong with making people smile once in awhile???
What a beautiful, creative painting job! I think it’s very artistic and quite lovely. What a fun idea — putting motley polka dots on an plain old house. I showed the photo of this house to my children, and they love it too.
Firstoff it his house,secone im glad that we still have free thinkers in this country,being an artist myself its great when you can express youself.those who like make the artist fell good in a way thats hard to explain.i think this is still a free country LOL I USE THIS LOOSELY IF YOU DONT LIKE IT DONT LOOK.I WOULD BE PROUD TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO A TALENT SUCH AS HIS
I think this is great! No worse than the lime green, hot pink houses seen in Florida.
It sounds like they wanted to pay him a pitance for his home and he wasn’t having it. Good on ‘im!
I LOVE IT!!! What a cute house!
60 years ago, Mr Dave Frost, a very kindly gentalman, whom had survived sever burns to 90 percent of his body, heaped what most concidered trash in mounds across his property.
Very colorfull mounds, articulated with beer cans, many old glass bottles,and plastic house hold botttles.
The locals were at times divided in oppions, Trash or Art.
Those first 12 years of my life I watched for each new additon, and knew when Mr frost was in bad health, because the lack of additions to those forms. Yes They were Art, abstract, wild statements of form from his mind, some were very whimiscal, some statue strong, a few with weak from a statement in it’s self,
He made headlines, and many vistors with cammera’s ready, some time as many as 360, a day. Mr. Frost even placed sign and added a area for them to turn their cars around.
To his eye those thrash heaps were beautiful, and his home did indeed have the look of a castle, and stands still to this Day the home of his Grandson.
I’d bet that today, were the mounds deconstructed a small forutne in rare bottles and cans, would be discovered.
Freedom of Speech and expression is hard work and all these guacking passer-byes, keep me from My work. Quote From Dave Frost own lips.
Very pretty! I would have painting the house yellow though, before going dotty!
I would adore living in a neighborhood with a house that looked like that! My neighbors have a beautiful Victorian home that, when purchased, was painted all one color and appeared to have very little decorative trim. When they painted it, they discovered that the trim around the bottom of the roof had beautifully carved decoration, and painted them a boldly contrasting color – a deep blue-purple to contrast to the almost fuchsia main color. It’s the prettiest house on the block, by far!