Death of the McMansion? (Bellaire, Center: apartment, custom home, subdivision)

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

There is one on the north side of Memorial Dr, just west of th Beltway, that almost has be running into something everytime I pass by, for staring. It's not exactly ugly - just way over the top.

I know EXACTLY the one you mean. What on EARTH were they thinking??? And I disagree completely with your comment, "It's not exactly ugly..." because it certainly is ugly.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

There is one on the north side of Memorial Dr, just west of th Beltway, that almost has be running into something everytime I pass by, for staring. It's not exactly ugly - just way over the top.

We call that the Lottery House around here. Don't know how the name started.

Frankly, other than the fact that it's prison grey, it looks like many of Stucco Suburban McMansions I've seen in the burbs, like Lakes of Parkway and Windsor Lakes. What makes it stick out is the setting it's in, and the big yellow cars,RVs, boats and trucks they park in front of it.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by Malvie

I know EXACTLY the one you mean. What on EARTH were they thinking??? And I disagree completely with your comment, "It's not exactly ugly..." because it certainly is ugly.

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

We call that the Lottery House around here. Don't know how the name started.

Frankly, other than the fact that it's prison grey, it looks like many of Stucco Suburban McMansions I've seen in the burbs, like Lakes of Parkway and Windsor Lakes. What makes it stick out is the setting it's in, and the big yellow cars,RVs, boats and trucks they park in front of it.

That's what I meant by "not exactly ugly" - if it were in a neighborhood where it fit more and the house was simplified. There are elements I like a little if it were toned down a lot. I have seen a front door similiar (one of the most gaudy aspects of the house) - but on a much larger house on an acre of land and the door not nearly as elaborate - and it looked good. It's just that everything about the house is "too much" and in a neighborhood that is 180 degree different. Yeah, the color is horrible.

I can understand the title - the Lottery House - someone with the same mentality would put stone lions out front, because it's "classy".

[pdouglas]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

There's a house at the corner of Beechnut and Gessner that reminds me of this. They also have the big pair of stone lions out front - just in case you didn't think it was gaudy enough.

I know the house. Very Gaudy. However, it is really an eyesore because the vaule of the neighborhood has dimished over the year and this mcmansion was put on the market and never sold. The home is now unkept and I'm not sure if anyone lives there.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by emirate25

Death of the 'McMansion': Era of Huge Homes Is Over - Yahoo! Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Death-of-the-McMansion-Era-of-cnbc-1051033821.html?x=0 - broken link)

What!

[elnina]

As seen on HAR (77043)
What a nightmare of a mansion!! And the silly part between garage and the rounded main part of the house? What is it?? A dog house?
We see here square small window, square long windows, square rounded long windows and round window...
The Realtor call it "European style" - sadly, it just shows that the Realtor never been in Europe.
The next house is build, what? 6 feet apart?? Where is the privacy here?
What a shame!

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by AK123

Okay, I had to go see for myself.
Atwell @ S Braeswood, Houston, TX - Google Maps

Shouldn't there be a city ordinance or HOA regulations to help protect against this, for the integrity of the rest of the neighborhood? I think Austin's already done it...

Whats so unusual about that? Looks like typical lack of Houston zoning to me.

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

We call that the Lottery House around here. Don't know how the name started.

Aw, c'mon EA. Did you put something on your Rice Krispies? You don't know how the name started?

[tstone]

^^ Everyone apparently knows everyone else's finances out there.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

I can understand the title - the Lottery House - someone with the same mentality would put stone lions out front, because it's "classy".

That's how I've more or less labeled these McMansions on teeny lots. The majority are extremely gaudy. Makes you wonder where their architects got their degrees, too.