A massive birdcage that went up on the shores of Lake Sumter has many Villagers wondering if it’s the tallest birdcage in The Villages.
The massive birdcage at the Edgewater Bungalows overlooks the lake and is located next door to the boat launch area at the Waterfront Inn at Lake Sumter Landing. It has been stirring conversations at neighborhood pools and cocktail gatherings, since a Villager pointed out her objection to it.
Homeowners Jeffrey and Wanda Crandell received permission from the Architectural Review Committee for the addition of the birdcage at their home at 1133 Edgewater Lane. The work was completed by Blackburn Brothers Construction.
You can see the couple’s ARC application and plans at this link: 1133 Edgewater Lane
The couple purchased the home in 2017 for $675,000, according to the Sumter County Property Appraiser’s Office. They also purchased a home for $295,000 in 2018 on Osada Avenue in the Village of the Haciendas of Mission Hills.
In many ways, bigger has always been better in The Villages. But it’s not always been popular with the neighbors:
• Last year, residents in the Village of Tall Trees organized Citizens Against Reckless Expansion in response to a “massive” garage going up in their neighborhood. The contractor had also been at the center of an epic 2015 battle over a driveway extension in the Village of Bridgeport at Miona Shores.
• A massive RV garage on the Historic Side of The Villages was approved several years ago.
• In 2018, residents appeared before the Lady Lake Commission complaining about a “monstrosity” in their neighborhood.
