Un-Neighborly McMansions

I live in just such a neighborhood. We are a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean on Florida's "Treasure Coast". I find the McMansions pretentious...really, how much house does a person need? (I'm a fan of Susanka myself, having 4 of her books). I agree McMansions are "un-neighborly". Most of us don't have fences, we have beautiful thick, colorful tropical foilage surrounding our lots - that is until it is torn down & replaced with a concrete wall by a neighboring McMansion. Our home is for sale, and I can't wait to move!

That Milton guy is a very smart guy.

I???m sure that some of the tear downs described are quality structures worthy of preservation. The underlying reason for many tear downs, however, is that they are poorly built houses in good locations. Generally, tear down epidemics do not occur on the fringes of large urban areas. They occur near prime locations. My daughter lives in an area near Birmingham, Alabama which is undergoing the final stages of a near total epidemic of tear downs. The houses being destroyed are sixty or so years old and were not well built when they were new. They have been remodeled pell mell over the years and are very expensive, generally costing more than 350 thousand dollars. I can assure you that while some might call a 60 year old remodeled cottage charming, in any other locations they would be 60 thousand dollar junk starter homes. Further remodeling would only be putting lipstick on very expensive pigs. In point of fact, many have dangerous wiring, faulty plumbing and extensive termite damage. The real crime, if there is one, is that many of the McMansions that go up both here and in new construction areas which are a part of urban sprawl often trade space and pretension for quality and lasting architectural value thereby ensuring that at some time in the future, the occupants will live in big, ugly, worn out pieces of crap that are not worth remodeling. It is nearly a perfect circle.

McMansions are wasteful of resources. At some point we have to recognize that just because we can doesn't mean we should.

WHO CARES!!! Last time i checked we live in America. It is your land, it is your money. Build whatever you like with it. Who am I to say, "That is too Big" "That is a waste!" Why do people passing judgement?

McMansions have done nothing but improve property values in central Austin- not to mention - more families with multiple children are moving into them. The density in old parts of Austin are mostly seniors and DINKS.

That's a good point actually.... While renovations and/or tasteful additions will likely improve the property values of all houses around them, teardowns which result in monstrous homes on lots that were not suitable, only serve to hurt the neighborhoods. At best the value of the land itself increases, but in many cases your home itself will no longer have any value because inevitably it too will be torn down when it sells. The better solution (from a neighborhood standpoint, environmentally, etc) is the type of renovation that Ms. Susanka spoke of.

Actually, these McMansions tend to drive property values down as they make the original houses on the block look small, and often interfere with their light/views.

Actually, McMansions tend to drive down property values because they make the normal houses on the block look small by comparison.

his house is worth $400k, in part, due to the mcmansions