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McMansions Transforming Myers Park, Good or Bad?


monsoon

Are the New McMansions that are replacing the original homes Good or Bad for Myers Park  

81 members have voted

  1. 1. Are the New McMansions that are replacing the original homes Good or Bad for Myers Park

    • Good
      19
    • Bad
      48
    • I don't care
      14


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Most of you know that Myers Park was one of Charlotte's first planned communities and was constructed mostly in the 1920s and early 30s. Not so apparent is the fact the original homes on Queens Rd, Queens Rd W, and similar while looking magnificant, are not very large. Standards for a large house 80 years ago were much lower than they are now and many of the new owners can't survive in a 2500 sq ft house. Up until the last year or so the trend seems to have been to put very large additions onto these houses to bring up the sq footage. Some have worked, others are kinda, well ugly and destroy the character the architect had for the original building.

However I've noticed that additions to homes solution seem to have fallen out of favor and has been replaced by complete demolition of the house to be replaced by a huge monstorous over the top 6000+ sq/ft McMansion. I usually drive down QRW every week and noticed another house was demolished this week with brought this question to mind.

So the question is, is the replacement of the 1920s homes by modern stucco laden huge homes, good or bad for Myers Park?

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Bad! having taken the historic walking tour of Myers Park and having been able to see some of the great older homes, it makes me sick when i see these new McMansions thrown up where an interesting, perfectly habitable house once stood.

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I believe teardowns are ok, if the home is beyond reasonable repair....though it would be reponsible to build in comparable style and scale to what already exists......of course they voted against being a historic district so it seems unlikely that they will ever have control over this new trend.

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Any original house on Queens Rd. has more character in one slate shingle than the sum of every home beyond 485.

Bungalows were original to Myers Park as well, especially on streets such as Westminster and Westfield. It's the diversity of housing styles that give an area it's charm......you probably wouldn't have enjoyed MP when it was first built then, since all the trees lining the streets were saplings then, though they did have the foresight to plant a tree that had more than a 25 year lifespan.

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I believe teardowns are ok, if the home is beyond reasonable repair....though it would be reponsible to build in comparable style and scale to what already exists......of course they voted against being a historic district so it seems unlikely that they will ever have control over this new trend.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

why would they vote against being a historic district, so they can build whatever they want?

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I wish I had my camera.  Last week I saw the sign for the demolition company on the lot.  This week there is a pile of rubble.  Next week, we will no doubt see the debut of super mansion.  We will soon have Ballentyine here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

:lol:

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I'm personally not sure that ALL teardowns and new construction should be stopped in Myers Park as there are certain circumstances (one of which was mentioned by atlrvr earlier). However any new construction going on in Myers Park should be civically responsible enough to respect the nature of the neighborhood in size and character. My biggest worry is that the new construction won't adhere to methods and materials that will stand the test of time. I know it has been said before in the forum but If you're going to tear down an old building and rebuild in an historic neighborhood of almost 100 years in age then the building you erect should be more than able to stand proudly for the next 100 years. Even if MP isn't an historic district and doesn't want to become one could they not still have measures enacted to control new construction within the neighborhood and at least limit teardowns.

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Not possible. For the few people I have known in Myers Park who have done this, the only restrictions are those in the deeds. (mostly concerned about setbacks and the race of the owner, no Blacks)

Beyond that, it is very difficult for a city government to impose regulations on a property owner, who having to choose between very expensive real stucco VS cheap fake stucco, will go the cheap route.

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Tear-downs are out of control. One drive down Maryland Ave will tell you that. These new McMansion's scale dwarf the original houses in the neighborhood--even the big ones. The award for most hideous and gross over compensation for not being born rich goes to 1800 Queens Road West. At 17,000 square feet, it makes the the 4,100 square foot brick Georgian next door look like Barbie's Dream House. Just goes to show that money doesn't buy taste.

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I have to admit I don't particularly care for the style of much of the homes in Myer's Park. A lot of them are dull, boxy brick rectangles, with a single bedroom window on each corner of the upper floor and a "blank forehead" wall above a porchless front door.

If the newer homes add some variety, using quality materials, I think that is a good thing.

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Someone's building a 17,000 sq foot house!

Indeed I agree that the houses on Queens Rd West are valuable and should be preserved as that they are all fine homes on their own but on some side streets there ranches and bungalows that do not fit into a feeling of wealth and grandeur. If the owners are building these new houses on the cheap that is a shame.

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Tear-downs are out of control.  One drive down Maryland Ave will tell you that.  These new McMansion's scale dwarf the original houses in the neighborhood--even the big ones.  The award for most hideous and gross over compensation for not being born rich goes to 1800 Queens Road West.  At 17,000 square feet, it makes the the 4,100 square foot brick Georgian next door look like Barbie's Dream House.  Just goes to show that money doesn't buy taste.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

is this the house you're referring to?

big.jpg

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That is exactly the monstrousity I am writing about.  And can you believe it, not even built of real stone!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that style of stone, where it obvious that it is a veneer rather than stacked, looks so tacky. i can't believe someone who is snooty enough to build a house that big on queens west would choose something that tacky.

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:sick:

wow.....a real slate roof <_<

i'll concur with everyone else here......if you are going over-the-top to try to be impressive, then be impressive and at least use high-quality building products....otherwise it looks like you have just enough money to be gaudy

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