Capitol Hill Neighbors Spar Over Castle-Style Treehouse

The treehouse hangs over into public space by about two feet.

A castle-style treehouse, complete with windows, towers and a "drawbridge," is an impressive sight in Washington, D.C.'s historic Capitol Hill neighborhood — but not everyone is impressed.

Some neighborhood residents are urging D.C. officials to force the owners to remove the wooden treehouse, which built in Archibald Walk, a historic enclave tucked into an alley.

The treehouse hangs over into public space by about two feet.

"Everyone loves a treehouse," said neighbor John Klaja. "And everyone loves kids. As kids, we wish[ed] we had one of these. But I think it's better suited for a back yard. This is our front yard, and it protrudes onto our public space."

The homeowners say they got the proper permits from the District for the treehouse, which went up in mid-August. 

According to Capitol Hill Corner, which was first to report the controversy, DDOT did issue a temporary permit for the structure, but neighbors are complaining, saying it shouldn't have been allowed in the historic district in the first place.

Tuesday night, the Advisory Neighborhood Commission voted to ask DDOT to force the homeowners to take the structure down.

However, the homeowner, Bing Yee, said his family wants to keep the treehouse.

“We are in contact with DDOT; we have no plans to take the treehouse down," Yee said. "We're going to do all we can to keep the treehouse. We will work with DDOT to address the ANC's concerns."

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