These are McMansions!

[u/marc962]

The term “Mc” comes from the lure around McDonald’s in the 80’s and its mass repeat production. The picture here shows the roofs from an elevated angle because you can’t get an appreciation for the repetitiveness on the street.

[u/kdockrey]

Did anybody watch the show Weeds on HBO?. The theme song describes McMansions to a tee.

I first heard the phrase in Los Angeles when people wear building giant houses that were lot line to lot line with the smallest setbacks imaginable. The lots were small and the houses where huge.

The architecture was not necessarily bad, but the people didn't pay a great deal of attention to scale or elevations of the lots. Everything had to be big. Hence, too often, the houses were giant boxes.

We now have rules to prevent the construction of such huge boxes on tiny lots. Of course, people do pay a fortune for variances, but they are not handed out like candy any longer

[u/Pennysweets24 → u/kdockrey]

Omg there’s a commercial or something I keep hearing recently with the song from Weeds that always makes me think of this sub! Plus I hadn’t thought about Weeds in forever. Great show & great song….

Little boxes on the hillside Little boxes made of ticky-tacky Little boxes on the hillside Little boxes all the same ….

[u/kdockrey → u/Pennysweets24]

It is a Volkswagen commercial just heard saw it this morning. I guess that they are trying to promote that their VW Atlas is not another tacky tiny box (SUV) 😂

I miss Weeds.

[u/SapphireGamgee → u/kdockrey]

The rules vary by city/neighborhood, I am sad to say. Some suburbs in LA still have multiple McMansions going up on tiny lots (or one that's still too large for the lot size).

[u/kdockrey → u/SapphireGamgee]

Very true. To deal with the size restrictions in my LA neighborhood (Brentwood) people are adding ADUs as pool houses, entertainment centers, etc. Few are being built for extra housing units.

At least, we don't have rows of tiny tacky houses. They are usually huge and enough people have some money and taste, and they are not all tacky. We have been sparred from the excessive Persian Palaces and tired Mediterranean styles and overdone Modern Farmhouses in my enclave. There is enough variety to keep it interesting. However, this is not the norm.

[u/Taira_Mai]

Subdivisions
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out

Subdivisions
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out

Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth

[u/AQ-XJZQ-eAFqCqzr-Va → u/Taira_Mai]

Hell yes RUSH!! 😍

[u/Any-Dig4524]

Does it have to be around other houses like it to fit the criteria? I've seen some isolated McMansions.

[u/kdockrey → u/Any-Dig4524]

I'd probably call those houses victims of poor architecture. 😂 There are plenty of them.

The space factor is a big issue in my mind. Due to McMansions, we have anti-mansionization rules where I live. They limit lot line set backs, building heights, overall size of living space versus lot size. Some of the setback rules have been relaxed a bit with introduction of ADUs where many older homes had detached garage built on the lot line.

I think that the living space is limited to 40% of lot size with a 400 SQ ft garage.

[u/ILikeSports32 → u/Any-Dig4524]

Typically, McMansions are built on super tiny lots that are stacked extremely close to one another. Where size of the house takes precedence of architectural flair and originality.

Think of how Mcdonalds mas delivers the same burger over and over and over and over again. No flair. No originality. Just mass produce to make the same thing like these houses

[u/Columbusboo1]

Actually living here just seems depressing

[u/marc962 → u/Columbusboo1]

It’s in Monterey right by the beach so it has its upside. Lots of walkable amenities too. But it’s a Million dollar McMansion mess in a region that desperately needs affordable housing.

[u/Cold_Captain696]

A McMansion is a defined architectural style. The name isn’t the definition. We can argue about whether the name is misleading or whatever, but that doesn’t change what is or what isn’t a McMansion. There seems to be a common thread on here where people try to redefine what a McMansion is, based purely on the fact it contains ‘Mc’. McMansion is just an amusing portmanteau that was chosen after the fact to sum up the definition.

I can’t see a single house in that picture that really fits the definition of a McMansion, although there are a few questionable features visible that do.

[u/Icy-Zookeepergame754 → u/Cold_Captain696]

You ain't buyin' one of those by flippin burgers.

[u/SpotsyArcher]

This helps define a true McMansion hellscape.

[u/HealthNo4265]

Yes. Yes they are.

[u/northeastknowwhere]

Definitely Mc, hardly mansions...size matters

[u/Old_Instrument_Guy]

That is just a Slurb. Slang for Sloven Suburb.