Being the negative guy that I am, you knew I couldn’t just keep posting about some of the better houses in Seattle’s older neighborhoods. Time to check out the not-so-good.
Very often during new construction in these old, original neighborhoods we talk about “context.” Well, folks, here’s an example of a complete and utter slap in the face of context. This photo succession shows a group of three homes in Judkins Park. Any architects out there may want to look away.
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| The home to the left, built in 1909, 960 square feet. |
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| The home in the middle, built in 2002, 5,154 square feet on a double lot. |
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| The home to the right, built in 1955, 1,220 square feet. |
Holy crap batman…
That McMansion covers so much of the lot the truck can barely fit on the drive way.
God I hate McMansions. They ruin neighborhoods. This one even makes the carport-dominated rambler look nice by comparison.
Wonder what the relative property values are.
I hate McMansions too.
Benjamin: In order of the photos: 361k; 996k; 344k.
Cliffe
Who on earth needs a 5,000 square foot home? Even those old Victorian mansion on Capitol Hill that were built for large Catholic families weren’t that big! I just really really don’t get it. Each to his own large mortgage and ugly house . . .
If you think that’s bad, check out this two-toned monstrosity in my neighborhood. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2064+23rd+ave+e,+Seattle,+WA&sll=47.642217,-122.302465&sspn=0.006621,0.013819&layer=c&ie=UTF8&ll=47.642217,-122.302294&spn=0.006621,0.021973&z=16&cbll=47.63889,-122.303255&panoid=87ifRy0Pc9X0Tm2i7w2LIg&cbp=2,607.394825995457,,0,5
Make sure you look at street view. No, it’s not 2 houses. The owners of the lovely 1920′s Dutch Colonial on the right bought the lot next door and built that pink and black modern addition on the left.
Holly:
It’s funny, I took photographs of a VERY similar thing in Judkins right across the street from this McMansion. What you posted and the house I’m speaking of go right in the “what were they thinking??” category.
Cliffe
Even without the McMansion, there isn’t any ‘context’ – the two other buildings are vastly different from each other. But that’s OK because they’re old and the McMansion isn’t.
Derek: The context here is scale. Thanks for playing!
I can imagine the design meeting…..”no, I said I wanted MORE sconces on the outside! Castle-like, real castle-like! And Lions! I want lots of stone lions! With gold trim! That’ll show the neighbors who is boss!”
STONE lions?? Stucco lions!
Hi Cliffe,
Great site which I very much appreciate. If you want to add to your collection of south end abominations, head down Wilson Blvd past PCC. About 4 or 5 blocks south look left. Quite the interesting kludge.
Thanks,
John
Those quoins make me want to burn his house down. The windows as well. The double (triple?) height entryway. The architect should be disbarred.
They’re everywhere… the McMansions are everywhere… and they all have faux columns around the doorways…
On Mercer Island we have zoning restrictions but developers find ways around them. Check the comments for a discussion on surface area restrictions.
http://mercerislandblogger.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/eastside-mansions-invade-mercer-island/
@ Cliffe,
Pshaw,
Not even stucco. Those things are fibreglass!