The Rise of McMansions

Those large-scale "starter castles" on postage-stamp plots of land bring two of the Austin City Council's most cherished ideals into direct conflict.

"...of debate over the issue, the resolution of the McMansions issue was swift. Council directed, considered, and passed an..."

March 3, 2006 News Feature by Kimberly Reeves

Invasion of the McMansions

Tarrytown neighbors outraged over demolition of house they considered historic

"...above concerns about tax base and density." Referring to McMansions' high price tags, as well as their tendency to..."

Aug. 26, 2005 News Feature by Daniel Mottola

Building McMansions Impacts Neighbors

Nov. 26, 2006 Postmarks

McMansions and Less

June 8, 2006 Postmarks

Where's the Party Yaar?

An indie comedy about ethnic identity.

"...poke fun at the pimpmobiles, fashion obsessions, and suburban McMansions of second-generation arrivistes. There are some great visual gags..."

Nov. 7, 2003 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Naked City

"...• The fight over McMansions in Central East Austin has spawned a takeover attempt..."

March 14, 2008 News Feature

Postmarks

Our readers talk back.

"...house size and the need to increase urban density ["McMansions Sweeps Week Approaches," News, March 3]. Mansionizers and developers..."

March 10, 2006 Column

McMansion or Not?

The Austin Chronicle's Am I McMansion or Not? Contest: Win a Cosmetic Shade Tree

"...proper closets. Prove your neighbor wrong. Starting today, at austinchronicle.com/mcmansions, you can upload pictures of your home and get..."

March 10, 2006 News Feature

No Contradiction Between Limiting House Size and Urban Density

"...house size and the need to increase urban density [“McMansions Sweeps Week Approaches,” News, March 3]. Mansionizers and developers..."

March 8, 2006 Postmarks

Downsizing

Alexander Payne creates a small word with big ambitions

"...and Audrey (Wiig) choose to move into, advertises its McMansions and retirement lifestyle in which the Safraneks’ $150,000 savings..."

Dec. 22, 2017 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Has Missed the Mark Toward Zero-Energy

"...of NIMBY-ism? I would sooner walk past several bad McMansions in my own neighborhood than sacrifice Austin's environmental future...."

March 20, 2008 Postmarks

Naked City

"...The new commission, created in the passage of the McMansions ordinance, will be reviewing residential construction permits for builders..."

April 20, 2007 News Feature

Over the Hedge

Canny casting and a sly anti-consumerist message give this animated feature extra adult appeal, but like a lot of animated fare it’s overly busy and splashy.

"...by a massive hedge, beyond which lie acres of McMansions guarded by a hysterical homeowners’ president (Janney). Everyone needs..."

May 19, 2006 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

More 'Am I McMansion' Action

Two more weeks to submit photos for our "Am I McMansion or Not" contest; and your top 10 McMansion comments

"...so do your part to keep Austin snarky – www.austinchronicle.com/mcmansions...."

March 31, 2006 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Whose House Is Fattest?

The original "McMansion or Not?" contest

"...of civic engagement (or your inner neighborhood Nazi) at austinchronicle.com/mcmansions, your portal to the great and terrible Bloat-o-Meter, where..."

March 24, 2006 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

Naked City

Headlines and Happenings from Austin and Beyond

"...Amend-ment and also returns to the dread subject of McMansions, aka How Do You Ban Ugly? See "Beside the..."

March 10, 2006 News Feature

Naked City

Headlines and Happenings from Austin and Beyond

"...Austin Energy's tree-trimming policies and the proposed moratorium on "McMansions" – i.e., houses bigger than yours and ours –..."

Feb. 10, 2006 News Feature

Naked City

Headlines and Happenings from Austin and Beyond

"...last Thursday's City Council meeting it was McCracken vs. McMansions. A resolution initiating changes to city code to ensure..."

Feb. 3, 2006 News Feature

The Bloodthirsty Killers of Circle C

Victims take flight! ... Officials shrug! ... Stealthy predators stalk the suburban streets!

"...wind turbines, and enormous, confusing picture windows in the McMansions sprouting up like bluebonnets in March. And one of..."

Dec. 9, 2005 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

Postmarks

Our readers talk back.

"...its first weekend on the market ["Invasion of the McMansions," News, Aug. 28]. We would have been thrilled to..."

Sept. 2, 2005 Column

Naked City

Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond

"...make room for new, larger structures ("Invasion of the McMansions," Aug. 26), Naked City received word of another historic..."

Sept. 2, 2005 News Feature

Public Notice: Where’s Our LDC Rewrite?

Back into the looking glass with your City Council

"...carefully calibrated unit sizes to encourage affordability and discourage "McMansions."..."

Sept. 4, 2020 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Austin At Large: Say Farewell to Greg Guernsey

An exit interview with Austin’s longtime planning chief

"...[grandfathering of looser regulations] or commercial design standards or McMansions."..."

July 12, 2019 News Column by Mike Clark-Madison

CodeNEXT: “Highly Unlikely”?

Planning Commission plays along, Zoning & Platting calls to terminate

"...Hart that Kenny says would disincentivize the building of McMansions and create residential-scale affordable housing (in the form of..."

May 11, 2018 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Tovo and Casar Unfiltered on CodeNEXT

The Council members' full conversation with the Chronicle

"...they have taken into consideration issues about compatibility and McMansions, and smoothing things out across the city, which I..."

Sept. 14, 2017 News Post by Nick Barbaro

Council Members Say “#FixtheCode”

Four CMs say CodeNEXT process must strongly address inequality

"...deficient in these areas, and it will incentivize more McMansions instead of affordable housing in high opportunity areas,” Casar..."

Aug. 22, 2017 News Post by Michael King

CodeNEXT Marches On

Coding affordability

"...increase supply of the "missing middle" of housing between McMansions and huge new apartment complexes, each unaffordable to many..."

May 12, 2017 News Feature by Michael King

The Luv Doc: A Li'l Spendy

The kind of economic Übermensch G-Dubs prayed for back in '07

"...As G-Dubs would earnestly try to make you understand,..."

April 7, 2017 Column by The Luv Doc

Council: Coyotes, Garages, and Manure

Old zoning cases never die; they just reincarnate as amendments

"...carports have run afoul of regulations meant to discourage McMansions. Item 55 would amend the land-use code for more..."

Oct. 7, 2016 News Feature by Michael King

Rules for Werewolves

This tale of runaways prowling suburbia in a pack recalls the eerie unreality of The Twilight Zone

"...of the 'wolves as they prowl suburbia for abandoned McMansions (either on the market or with owners on extended..."

Dec. 11, 2015 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

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