Man builds towering ‘spite house’ to annoy neighbours who wanted him to sell

After neighbours relentlessly told him to sell, this man built a towering “spite house” that now overlooks their backyards.

In the quiet, sandy streets near Jacksonville Beach, a towering 3m-wide house stands as a bold middle finger to the neighbourhood.

Built on a sliver of land out of pure spite, this eyebrow-raising property has become the talk of the town — and its owner, Mike Cavanagh, 51, couldn’t be more proud.

Mike Cavanagh, 51, purchased the property for $619,000 and calls it a “solid investment” and the perfect fit for his single lifestyle. Picture: Rick Casto for Ryan Wetherhold/Oceanside Real Estate

MORE: Aussie stars caught up in wild neighbour disputes

But this isn’t just any narrow home. It’s a structure born from defiance.

Developer John Atkins, the man behind the project, refused to sell the awkwardly sized lot to persistent neighbours.

Instead, he was determined to squeeze a house into the tiny space — just to prove he could.

Atkins initially dreamt of a 4.5m-wide home, but city officials shut down his plans. Not one to back down, he scaled the design down to a mere 3m in width.

Now, the 6m-tall house looms over the surrounding backyards and pools, casting literal and figurative shadows over the neighbours who once opposed its construction.

Despite ongoing curiosity and jokes from neighbours, Cavanagh admires the home’s clever design and believes its value will only increase as the area grows. Picture: Rick Casto for Ryan Wetherhold/Oceanside Real Estate

MORE: Star wins neighbour dispute over sunroom in $7.7m home

“I think the fact that my home was featured on Zillow Gone Wild and that there used to be a ‘For Sale’ sign in the yard both drew a lot of attention,” Cavanagh wrote in a Business Insider essay.

Curious passers-by still slow down to gawk. “I still get jokes, too. Some friends introduce me socially as ‘the guy who bought the skinny house’.”

But what started as a spiteful project turned out to be a golden opportunity for Cavanagh.

Refusing to sell, Atkins downsized his original plans after city pushback and constructed the slim, 6m-tall home out of defiance. Picture: Rick Casto for Ryan Wetherhold/Oceanside Real Estate

Purchasing the home for $619,000 in June of last year, he calls it a “solid investment” and the perfect fit for his single lifestyle.

“If I were 40 with young kids, it wouldn’t have worked,” he wrote in the essay. But for him, the controversial design just works.

“Despite its narrow layout, the exterior has great curb appeal. Inside, it has a modern feel, with beautiful flooring and tile work throughout.”

Designed to make the most of its slim frame, the 140sq/m home features clever built-in storage and furniture.

The towering 3m-wide “spite house” has stirred up the neighbourhood after developer John Atkins built it on a narrow plot of land neighbours wanted to buy. Picture: Rick Casto for Ryan Wetherhold/Oceanside Real Estate

“The upstairs bedroom has a built-in platform where my mattress sits, so I don’t need a bed frame,” Cavanagh wrote in Business Insider.

Even the dining table tells a story, crafted from wood salvaged from a local pier destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Flooded with natural light through perfectly placed windows, the home feels more spacious than its footprint suggests.

“The builder did an excellent job positioning the windows to create a bright, inviting atmosphere,” Cavanagh said. He also invested in custom design touches, including a white oak built-in couch. “It was a bit pricey but totally worth it because it’s incredibly comfortable and has an artsy vibe.”

But make no mistake — this house wasn’t built for comfort alone. It was built to send a message.

The space occupies over 140sq/m.

Neighbours who once tried to buy the land from Atkins found themselves staring at a massive, modern structure instead.

After the city shot down the initial blueprints, he scaled the home to meet the requirements.

“That’s how its unique design came to be,” Cavanagh explained after meeting the defiant builder. And while some residents might still grumble, Cavanagh is laughing all the way to the bank.

He sees the property’s value only going up as Jacksonville Beach continues to grow.

The garage is perfect for your … Vespa? Picture: Rick Casto for Ryan Wetherhold/Oceanside Real Estate

“Compared to other cities in Florida, Jacksonville Beach has been slow to develop, which helps keep it affordable — especially relative to other beach towns,” he noted.

If he ever tires of the home, he could easily rent it out or sell it to the next bold buyer.

For now, Cavanagh has no plans to leave his spite-fuelled slice of paradise.

“Overall, I do think buying the home was a good decision,” he said.

“Smart people just don’t buy real estate to make money; they buy to have a great place to live — and to avoid losing money.”

This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission