Ooh I love the look of the growing ivy.  It's beautiful, not sure if it's good for the bu building but I like the sight!

Hi Teri, Ivy has some of the toughest roots of any plant. They will find cracks in the mortar and will actually grow on the underside if there is any space. If no space available, they can easily make some. 

Ivy will destroy the facade of a building.  Of course it looks nice in moderation but this place may have let it go a bit to far.

Well we really like vine covered but that may well be just a little too much!!

They must have really acidic soil in order to grow ivy like that. 

Teri,

I'm with you.  I like a little creeping Ivy but this is too much! I say de-vine!

Pretty to look at, but can be oh so difficult to irradicate.  I remember a wonderfulhome I sold to a couple.  I went back a few years later to list it for sale, and found that ivy was doing major damage to the siding of the house.