Help! What is this?

[Michelle79]

Hi, I'm new here! Please help me with a problem I'm having.

I moved into a duplex in the fall. The tree??? shown in the pic, beside the front door, was cut back just before I moved in.

I am wondering what it is. A tree? Shrub? I think it looks like a tree, but it is RIGHT beside the house, and there are dozens of shoots.

I think I can only post one pic per post (?), so I will post another photo in the next post that shows what it looks like now. (After being cut back, and with a few spring buds).

[Michelle79]

I'd like to get this thing out. Any guesses as to what it is, and any advice about how to get rid of it, would be greatly appreciated.