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Edith Masefield Held Her Ground Against Developers
- Edith Masefield refused multimillion dollar offers and stayed put in Ballard for decades while developers built around her.
- Her tiny square-and-triangle house ended up enveloped on three sides by a 40-foot shopping center, becoming a local media symbol.
Ballardization Creates High Stakes For Single Holdouts
- Rapid neighborhood densification (the "Ballardization") creates predictable developer pressure on lone holdouts who own small plots.
- In 2005 Ballard's condo boom turned single-family blocks into prime targets for full-block projects that need only one refusal to stall plans.
Construction Superintendent Became Her Caretaker
- Construction superintendent Barry Martin became a daily presence while the mall rose around Edith, checking on her and bringing food.
- Despite press frenzy, Edith largely avoided interviews and told reporters to go away, preferring privacy.