Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

[DoYouKubuntu]

A couple months ago we got a notice in the mail from the homeowners association saying there was a proposal for a new house to go up across the street, i.e., the current house to be torn down and replaced with a new one. The mailing included the plans for the new house and its landscaping...it's a McMansion. As if that's not bad enough they're also going to rip out all but one of the existing trees--some of which are big, mature trees that have been there for decades. There was going to be a town hall type meeting to discuss it. Well, we didn't go, and then nothing happened. A month went by, then two, and nothing. But I had a feeling the inevitable was going to happen, and I had told my mother that when they get ready to bulldoze the [current, cute, appropriately sized] house they'll put up a temporary chain link fence around the property. Guess what went up this week?

My old neighborhood [in the same city] where I lived as a teenager has been completely overtaken by McMansions; what once was filled with beautiful, low-slung, sprawling California Ranch Style homes is now 75% McMansions. My current neighborhood HAD been untouched by the McMansion phenomenon...but not any longer. And I just know that once one comes in, the door has been opened and a ton more will follow. Every time a house comes up for sale it's going to be bought, torn down, and have one of those awful McMansions put up in its place. I am NOT thrilled...

[vinnywright]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

I just hate that.........and you will prob be right about the trees slowly 1 by 1 all of the large trees in the neighborhood will go and be replaced with small ornamental stuff.

I was SO mad when the house catercorner to me cut down 4 good sized trees from the frunt yard .
not only did thay provide good shade for their house thay blocked the mane road from my view

I have 1 of the largest left on the block in my front yard a huge maple (that has the hole yard yellow gold right now with leaves....beautiful) it provides the house with shade from about 12:00 on whitch works out just perfect winter or sumer .

that tree will never leave as long as I am hear; baring natural disaster, even though I burn wood for heat

when I see this kind of thing happening (neighborhoods getting upgraded)I think to my self "what a waste of resources and these people must have more $ than thay know what to do with" and 1 of the sad things is that most of the time the wood and materials in the older house were far better than what gets used in the new.........tisk tisk.

VINNY

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

The mailing we got from the HOA showed which trees...er, TREE, will be saved...everything else will be yanked out. Of course, when you look at the plans for the proposed house, it's SO BIG it'll take up practically the whole lot. So no wonder they have to remove all the trees!

I'll bet you were mad, Vinny, when that house near you had four of its big trees cut down. I wonder what prompted that? Do you happen to know? I mean, could they have been diseased, or was it just the homeowner deciding they didn't want big trees on their property any more?!

[vinnywright]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

I'll bet you were mad, Vinny, when that house near you had four of its big trees cut down. I wonder what prompted that? Do you happen to know? I mean, could they have been diseased, or was it just the homeowner deciding they didn't want big trees on their property any more?!

I beleave it was the leaves (laziness)and fear of them falling on the house in a storm

VINNY

[ubuntu]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

I had to google McMansions.... yuck! How sad

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

It's disgusting--and they started tearing down the existing house three days ago. So it's really happening.

Anyone who's interested in seeing the monstrosity that replaced my teenage home, take a look at this:

Ugly McMansion with dolphin fountain in front yard

Be sure to click on the house photo at left, and then zoom in so you can see the ridiculous dolphin fountain they installed in the front yard. *gag* And the worst part is that the WHOLE area has been overtaken by ludicrously big McMansions just like that one.

I just realized by scrolling through that street view shot that it's an OLD shot of my former street, as it still shows many of the original houses that have been replaced by hideous McMansions. So if you look at it now, scroll up and down the street a bit and you'll get an idea of what the houses were like when I lived there. Like I said in my OP, they were beautiful, sprawling California ranch style homes...not disproportionately large McMansions.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

Up until now they've been manually tearing it down, tearing out the roof and removing doors and windows. But this morning a bulldozer showed up. Here's my current view [select for larger]; note the beautiful, mature trees that will soon be history. >

[SteveRiley]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

Get your inner Arthur Dent on and go have a lie down. Surely these aren't Vogons in your neighborhood, right?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

...and don't forget your towel...

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Ugh! McMansion going up across the street

I'm not sure yet if they're Vogons or not.

Okay, here's an update: The house is GONE. I heard the bulldozer fire up right at 9:00 this morning, and by 10:00 the house was history. I was outside with my cup of coffee, snapping pictures throughout, some of which I'll post later when I've had a chance to resize them. But I had a hell of a reality check so I thought I'd post about that instead.

While I was standing in my driveway snapping away, a car pulled up to watch the house being torn down. That had happened several times, along with people walking their dogs stopping to watch (one dog stood in front of my house barking at the bulldozer--that's a smart dog!), so I didn't think anything of it. Then the driver got out and addressed me by name. It was the woman who, along with her husband and their two small children, had rented the house prior to its going on the market. They LOVED the house but weren't prepared to buy at that point, so they had to move. As soon as she walked up to me it was clear she was very emotional. Turns out it wasn't just the sight of the house being torn down that was making her sad--her husband died shortly after they moved. At 38. He'd gone in for minor surgery and had a massive heart attack while on the table, and could not be resuscitated. I was just stunned.

She and her kids are in therapy to help cope with their loss. One of their favorite things to do was to drive by the house they had loved so much, although the younger child really doesn't remember it. But the older one, the boy, does and would frequently ask to drive by. That happened a few days ago and although it was dark when they drove by, she could see that the roof was gone and she gasped. As soon as her son saw it he started crying. That house symbolizes a lot to them--happy times...with daddy... And now it's gone.

She told me that she had wanted to come over to talk but just could never get out of the car. I understood.

So in the span of an hour I went from feeling sorry for myself, bemoaning the fact that my beautiful view of the San Gabriel Mountains will soon be obliterated by the monstrosity McMansion that's going up, to realizing once again what's actually important in life.