Comments on: Comment of the Day: Grading the Replacements http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/ Houston, Texas real estate development, home buying, landscape, and design Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:38:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: DMc http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-39082 DMc Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:31:27 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-39082 “You shouldn’t be so emotionally attached to the past. ” ===== It's not just attachement to the past. Our forefathers were a lot smarter with their development. Take New Orleans for example. There were two parts of the city that did not flood in Katrina. The two oldest. Why throw away accumulated wisdom of good design for the sake of "new and improved"? “You shouldn’t be so emotionally attached to the past. ”
=====
It’s not just attachement to the past. Our forefathers were a lot smarter with their development. Take New Orleans for example. There were two parts of the city that did not flood in Katrina. The two oldest. Why throw away accumulated wisdom of good design for the sake of “new and improved”?

]]> By: John http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-39071 John Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:22:46 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-39071 "You shouldn’t be so emotionally attached to the past. " It's not about the past, it's about the present: how we live right now and in the the future. If houses on my street started getting replaced with the typical modern house, my block of front porches green front lawns would be replaced with garage doors and driveways. That means less green space, and it also means neighbors interacting with one another far less. I don't want to live like that - right now, in the 21st century. Which is one of the reasons I chose a spot where subdivisions prevent that. I don't really care if someone builds a new house next door. I do care if suddenly there's no open space, of if a towering McMansion suddenly blocks the sun from my property and eliminates my privacy because the residents are peering out at me from above. I do care what it looks like, because one of the things that accounts for the value of my home is what is around it - this is true everywhere. I'd be perfectly fine if say, a house burned down and someone built a more modern take on the bungalow. (There are some good examples of that in the Heights, in fact, and they add to the vitality of the neighborhod. Sadly, they are outnumbered by the crappy stuff.) I think you are completely missing the point of what people are talking about here. “You shouldn’t be so emotionally attached to the past. ”

It’s not about the past, it’s about the present: how we live right now and in the the future.

If houses on my street started getting replaced with the typical modern house, my block of front porches green front lawns would be replaced with garage doors and driveways. That means less green space, and it also means neighbors interacting with one another far less. I don’t want to live like that - right now, in the 21st century. Which is one of the reasons I chose a spot where subdivisions prevent that.

I don’t really care if someone builds a new house next door. I do care if suddenly there’s no open space, of if a towering McMansion suddenly blocks the sun from my property and eliminates my privacy because the residents are peering out at me from above.

I do care what it looks like, because one of the things that accounts for the value of my home is what is around it - this is true everywhere. I’d be perfectly fine if say, a house burned down and someone built a more modern take on the bungalow. (There are some good examples of that in the Heights, in fact, and they add to the vitality of the neighborhod. Sadly, they are outnumbered by the crappy stuff.)

I think you are completely missing the point of what people are talking about here.

]]> By: markd http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-39052 markd Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:55:32 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-39052 Bernard is a blowhard. Or is that Blow Hard? And it is not redevelopment, it is gentrification. Bernard is a blowhard. Or is that Blow Hard?

And it is not redevelopment, it is gentrification.

]]> By: MikeRG http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-39029 MikeRG Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:10:39 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-39029 At least the trend will be slowing down substantially. The disapperance of cheap credit to finance the bubble, the lower pay and all the bad mortgages that haven't hit the wall yet will stop it and force reuse of the old as we enter the new normal. At least the trend will be slowing down substantially. The disapperance of cheap credit to finance the bubble, the lower pay and all the bad mortgages that haven’t hit the wall yet will stop it and force reuse of the old as we enter the new normal.

]]> By: Kevin http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-39024 Kevin Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:31:56 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-39024 You shouldn't be so emotionally attached to the past. Things went a way you wished it hadn't... feeling sad or upset about it is pointless. There might be a point if your goal is to advocate that others change their minds about their real estate preferences, but if that's the case you guys might want to use a few less put-downs. You shouldn’t be so emotionally attached to the past. Things went a way you wished it hadn’t… feeling sad or upset about it is pointless. There might be a point if your goal is to advocate that others change their minds about their real estate preferences, but if that’s the case you guys might want to use a few less put-downs.

]]> By: Jessica1 http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-39000 Jessica1 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:04:57 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-39000 I'm not sure it would be that hard to come up with 5,000 instances of small home teardown/lot-consuming new build. Just roll through Bellaire/Meyerland/Heights/Montrose/etc./etc. - they're not hard to spot. Of course debate remains as to the condition and desirability of the previous house but in probably 90% of these instances smaller homes were replaced by larger homes, many of which conform to finness' above-listed characteristics. That's groan-worthy enough for me. I’m not sure it would be that hard to come up with 5,000 instances of small home teardown/lot-consuming new build. Just roll through Bellaire/Meyerland/Heights/Montrose/etc./etc. - they’re not hard to spot. Of course debate remains as to the condition and desirability of the previous house but in probably 90% of these instances smaller homes were replaced by larger homes, many of which conform to finness’ above-listed characteristics. That’s groan-worthy enough for me.

]]> By: matt http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-38995 matt Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:10:36 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-38995 Here is an example of how good design and imagination can turn a small space into a beautiful home. http://tinyurl.com/l5u3cu While this was a noted architects' studio and then his home, any of the "shacks" as Bernard and others refer to them can be turned into an equally beautiful home. Of course if this home had been in Houston, a developer would have bought it and torn it down simply because the lot was large enough to build two or three or possibly four homes or townhomes. Here is an example of how good design and imagination can turn a small space into a beautiful home.

http://tinyurl.com/l5u3cu

While this was a noted architects’ studio and then his home, any of the “shacks” as Bernard and others refer to them can be turned into an equally beautiful home.

Of course if this home had been in Houston, a developer would have bought it and torn it down simply because the lot was large enough to build two or three or possibly four homes or townhomes.

]]> By: MStark http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-38993 MStark Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:51:25 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-38993 The only way to provide the list is if someone had information on the existing house and then also knew that it had been torn down. The only instance I think of is if someone who sold their house drove by recently and was shocked to find it had been torn down. Then they would have evidence of the "before" condition and could also show the "after". Maybe a realtor would have access to that type of information? Can they access expired MLS information? The only way to provide the list is if someone had information on the existing house and then also knew that it had been torn down. The only instance I think of is if someone who sold their house drove by recently and was shocked to find it had been torn down. Then they would have evidence of the “before” condition and could also show the “after”. Maybe a realtor would have access to that type of information? Can they access expired MLS information?

]]> By: MStark http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-38991 MStark Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:47:41 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-38991 lol I think he's was a builder. Or maybe a developer. lol I think he’s was a builder. Or maybe a developer.

]]> By: devans http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-38990 devans Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:47:04 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-38990 Hyperbole gets on my nerves. Would someone with more initiative than me please post 5 nice recent "teardowns" replaced w/McMansions/townhouses. How hard can that be? The payoff: Smoke-breathing Bernard has promised to then post a list (addresses please, Bernie) of FIVE THOUSAND "tiny""wornout" "shacks" that were replaced with "new, modern attractive" homes all (his contention) INSIDE THE LOOP. (BERNIE'S RATIO @ 1 to 1000, per his post). I don't think he can do it. Hyperbole gets on my nerves.

Would someone with more initiative than me please post 5 nice recent “teardowns” replaced w/McMansions/townhouses. How hard can that be?

The payoff: Smoke-breathing Bernard has promised to then post a list (addresses please, Bernie) of FIVE THOUSAND “tiny”"wornout” “shacks” that were replaced with “new, modern attractive” homes all (his contention) INSIDE THE LOOP. (BERNIE’S RATIO @ 1 to 1000, per his post).

I don’t think he can do it.

]]> By: matt http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-38988 matt Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:39:21 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-38988 Isn't Bernard a realtor? Isn’t Bernard a realtor?

]]> By: MStark http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-grading-the-replacements/2009-08-13/#comment-38987 MStark Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:35:53 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=11435#comment-38987 From wikipedia: McMansion is a pejorative term used to describe a middle class house, particularly in the United States, that is rapidly constructed using modern labor-saving techniques in a manner reminiscent of food production at McDonald's fast food restaurants. ___________________________________ If some people have to google pejorative, I'll understand. But you're right Bernard, [it] WILL continue for the next 25 years - because most (granted, not all, but most) of those "new, modern, luxurious (barf), attractive (double barf)" structures, be they residential or commercial, will be "usless [sic], worn out, obsolete, shack[s]" ready for tear down by then. But the plebes want these monstrosities because its what they've been TOLD they want. It is sad, frustrating, obnoxious, pretentious, annoying, and nauseating. Sure, there are a lot of houses with "character" that have gone to seed and cannot be rehabbed. You know why? Because the families that could be living there keeping up the maintenance and keeping the structure and the neighborhood alive have become convinced that anything under 3,500 square feet of living space with a 3 car garage is evidence of abject poverty, nothing less than granite or travertine are sanitary, and its frankly embarrassing to leave any undeveloped land or trees on the lot, except for the sago palms and scrawny oaks strapped to the ground because they're too feeble to stay upright on their own, of course. Sorry if I sound grumpy, I guess I haven't had enough granola today. From wikipedia: McMansion is a pejorative term used to describe a middle class house, particularly in the United States, that is rapidly constructed using modern labor-saving techniques in a manner reminiscent of food production at McDonald’s fast food restaurants.
___________________________________
If some people have to google pejorative, I’ll understand. But you’re right Bernard, [it] WILL continue for the next 25 years - because most (granted, not all, but most) of those “new, modern, luxurious (barf), attractive (double barf)” structures, be they residential or commercial, will be “usless [sic], worn out, obsolete, shack[s]” ready for tear down by then. But the plebes want these monstrosities because its what they’ve been TOLD they want. It is sad, frustrating, obnoxious, pretentious, annoying, and nauseating. Sure, there are a lot of houses with “character” that have gone to seed and cannot be rehabbed. You know why? Because the families that could be living there keeping up the maintenance and keeping the structure and the neighborhood alive have become convinced that anything under 3,500 square feet of living space with a 3 car garage is evidence of abject poverty, nothing less than granite or travertine are sanitary, and its frankly embarrassing to leave any undeveloped land or trees on the lot, except for the sago palms and scrawny oaks strapped to the ground because they’re too feeble to stay upright on their own, of course. Sorry if I sound grumpy, I guess I haven’t had enough granola today.

]]>