We’re in Lecco on Lake Como now. This is the view from our room, and the top of one of the mountains. It is quite cold here now, but absolutely beautiful.

I see the construction crane is photo #1 but none of the buildings are taller than that tower. Here in Tallahassee there is a law - must be a state law - that no local building in this city can be built taller than our 22 story state capitol building so we'll never have 'skyscrapers'. We've got some about 12+ stories high but no really tall ones.

That doesn't look real, Julia! Gorgeous!!

I broke a tooth today, and had to call the dentist. I can't get in until Tuesday morning. This is gonna drive me bonkers. It's an old filling and the edge just collapsed into sharp nastiness... Sigh. It bites getting older. LOL

My vintage store friend dropped off a freshly caught trout this morning and I had it for supper along with a lightly dressed brown rice and steamed asparagus salad and a bit of White wine followed by the chocolate raspberry gelato for dessert. Living the highlife here…

That’s good eating!! Day three with the little guys…. we did the three days here this week… long story.

When I told the older one I’m making a chocolate cake with chocolate glaze his face lit up! Saturday I’ll be 62

OH will grill some turkey burgers.

He says we need balloons 😂🥰

Big news! The Mooz jumped onto my lap and STAYED… she must’ve been there for at least five minutes. And I was outside as well. There were two patio chairs, side-by-side. I patted the seat to get her to jump up on the one beside me but…she opted for the lap! She sat there and looked around for a good long while, as opposed to jumping right back down, which is the usual scenario. It’s only taken four years…🤪👏👏😻

It is impossible to actually advise the OP, we are miles away from enough information. I can tell you this. My neighborhood has nearly the same wording as the OP in our deed restrictions and the building that @dan1888 posted above wouldn't even come close to flying. What part of "The house siding has to be built with fiber cement board, wood, batten board, stucco, masonry or "similar high-quality siding." No vinyl, T-111, or plywood." and " Shops have to be on a permanent foundation and are allowed provided "architectural details match the primary residence and said shop buildings compliment the residence'" leads one to believe that a metal shouse would come close to being acceptable. You might as well set $212K on fire.

We have equestrian lots and there are pretty strict requirements for barns and outbuildings on our lots. I have great neighbors who are very reasonable as many of us are breaking some of the deed restrictions. However, they also wouldn't bat an eye to spend $200,000 to stop you from building an eyesore. Half of them are attorneys and the other half are just too bored for their own good.

No one would want a 2,000 sq.ft. house and a 2,000 sq.ft. shop on one lot in my neighborhood. Doing that would be dangerously close to picking a fight anyway and so I wouldn't risk doing anything even close to questionable and I would get an architect involved so someone with a professional duty had some skin in the game. Your neighborhood may be completely different and this is fine... which is largely why we really are not close to being able to advise what is OK and what is not.

By the way... the deed restriction I am breaking is in a section called Non-Equestrian Animals "No more than two dogs and two cats may be kept on any lot except when dogs or cats in excess of such numbers are less than three months of age." I question the enforceability of that restriction and currently have three dogs.