In this month's Oddies in the News Page:
The fight to save the Flintstone House near San Francisco
IN THE ODDITIES ARCHIVES
Fluffy the Cat
Artificial Intelligence Newscaster
Harvard University UFO
Loch Ness
Clone
Donald Trump Look-Alike
Owner Florence Fang
Yabba Dabba Don't: The fight against the Flintstone House by the City of Hillsborough
Washington Post, April 4, 2019 -- The grounds of an unusual home in an elusive San Francisco suburb that pays homage to the "The Flintstones" family (complete with dinosaurs and a life-sized Fred Flintstone) has ended up in the middle of a legal fight between town officials and a property owner.
Towering dinosaurs stand among fanciful mushrooms in the sloping backyard. The life-sized Fred Flintstone welcomes visitors near the front door. And by the driveway on the lawn is a giant “Yabba Dabba Do” sign in orange, purple and red.
The latest battle in the war between government rules and property rights is playing out, where a retired publishing mogul has installed an elaborate homage to “The Flintstones” family. The bold, bulbous house is surrounded by Stone Age sculptures inspired by the 1960s cartoon, along with aliens and other oddities.
The controversy has sparked international media coverage and an online petition signed by thousands to preserve the attention-grabbing property, visible from a nearby highway.
The 2,730-square-foot (254-square-meter) house itself is not at stake, but the town of Hillsborough says Florence Fang’s multimillion-dollar property is a public nuisance and an eyesore.
Officials filed a lawsuit in state court last month to make her remove the unpermitted garden installations. The city of Hillsborough filed suit against Fang, owner of 45 Berryessa Way—aka the “Flintstone House”—and now thousands of people have signed a petition backing Fang in her scuffle with city hall.
Regardless of what happens in court, the court of public opinion favors Fang and her Hanna-Barbara inspired eye for design. San Jose resident Helen Garcia’s public petition on Change.org backing Fang netted more than 12,000 signatures in six days.
An attorney for the 84-year-old says snobby officials want to squelch Fang’s constitutional right to enjoy her yard, and promises a vigorous fight.
“Mrs. Fang has made people smile, she’s giving them joy. What’s not to love about Dino, who acts like a dog?” said Angela Alioto, a former San Francisco supervisor. “What is wrong with these people?”
The oddly shaped house, currently painted red and purple, was designed by architect William Nicholson and built in 1976. Fang, a prominent philanthropist who once published the San Francisco Examiner, bought the property in June 2017 for $2.8 million.
The whimsical front yard has statues of Barney and Betty Rubble, along with Fred and Wilma. A sign reads “No Dino Allowed” and features a purple cartoon dinosaur. Colorful mushroom sculptures dot the front and back. A steep staircase, deemed unsafe by town officials, leads to a garden of giant metal prehistoric animals.
There is yet another Flinstones House in California...this one was built by American Bandstand's Dick Clark
After languishing on the Malibu housing market for two-and-a-half-years, the estate of the late, great Dick Clark has finally sold his beloved Flintstone-esque home atop a bluff.
Originally listed for $3.25 million, the home's price came tumbling down $250,000 in the summer of 2013, and without a buyer in sight, the price was again been reduced by a quarter million dollars in March 2014. Property records show the rock solid home sold on December 17, 2014 for just half of its original asking price: $1,777,777.
One of Malibu’s landmark properties, Clark’s stone home features unparalleled 360 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, Boney Mountains, Serrano Valley, Los Angeles sunsets and sparkling city lights. According to his real estate agent, Diane Carter, the Clarks used the home as a weekend retreat for many years.
This unusually imaginative architectural creation is nestled atop a mountain on an eye-popping 22.89 acres and features 1 bedroom and 2 bathrooms, as well as breathtaking ocean and mountain views.
Truly exceptional and one-of-a-kind from within and without – the architecture of this home seamlessly marries form and function. The interior space is extremely voluminous and features an expanse of glass to capture the views from every room of this home. Vaulted ceilings enhance the living room and dining room with its wood burning fireplace intimate seating areas. The master suite is at spacious and intimate.