Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2008 Repurposing the Suburban Mcmansion: A Congregate Living Proposal for Seniors, Families, and Young Professionals Ashley McGrew Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF VISUAL ARTS, THEATRE, AND DANCE REPURPOSING THE SUBURBAN MCMANSION: A CONGREGATE LIVING PROPOSAL FOR SENIORS, FAMILIES, AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS By ASHLEY MCGREW A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Degree Awarded Fall Semester, 2008 The members of the Committee approve the Thesis of Ashley McGrew defended on October 14, 2008. ______________________________ Jill Pable Professor Directing Thesis ______________________________ Eric Wiedegreen Committee Member ______________________________ Tock Ohazama Committee Member Approved: ________________________________________________ Eric Wiedegreen, Chair, Department of Interior Design ________________________________________________ Sally McRorie, Dean, College of Visual Arts, Theatre, and Dance The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii For my Family: Thank you for always believing in me; I am so grateful to have you all in my life. And to Mom and Dad: I would not be where I am or who I am today without your love and support. Thank you, for everything. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Interior Design department at Florida State University. My professors and colleagues have taught me so much throughout my educational career. A special thank you goes to Professor Tock Ohazama and Professor Eric Wiedegreen who have been so generous with their time and guidance. A special thanks to Adrianne Kautz, Marlo Ransdell, Robyn Flowers, and Mike Morton for their assistance with research for the study. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Jill Pable, who has not only provided countless hours of dedication and support, but the encouragement to succeed. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures vii List of Tables xi Abstract xii 1. Introduction 1 Purpose of the Study 1 Design Opportunity and Justification 2 Goals of the Project 2 Design Concept 3 Definition of Terms 3 Research Components 4 2. Review of Literature 5 The United States Housing Market Past and Present 5 Washington, D.C. Housing Market 7 The Rise and Fall of McMansions 9 Is this the End of Suburbia? 13 The Small House Movement 16 Housing Options and Opposition 19 Multi-Family Rental Units 20 Drop-Houses 20 Repurposing Buildings 22 Cohousing Communities 23 Population Groups with Specialized Needs 26 Seniors 26 Small Families 31 Young Professionals 34 Summary 36 3. Design Program 38 Project Description 38 Existing Site Conditions 39 Social, Psychological, Political, and Economic Context 54 Social 54 Psychological 54 Political 55 Economic 56 Client Profiles, Philosophy and Goals 56 Seniors 57 v Small Families 59 Young Professionals 60 Client Operation and Organizational Structure 60 Image Portrayed 61 Type of Construction and Materials 62 Codes and Regulations 63 Exterior 63 Interior 63 Energy Conservation and Green Design Issues 64 Analysis of Individual Space Requirements 65 Further Design Requirements 67 Senior Common Areas 67 Senior Individual Residences 68 Small Families Common Areas 68 Small Families Individual Residences 68 Young Professionals Common Areas 69 Young Professionals Individual Residences 69 Summary 70 4. Proposed Design Solution 71 Senior Design 71 Small Families Design 88 Young Professionals Design 101 Cost Estimate 114 Summary 117 5. Summary and Conclusions 118 Reflections of the Project Thesis Research and Design 118 The New Solutions 118 Future Avenues of Study 121 Recommendations for Other Congregate Living Designers 122 Summary 123 Bibliography 124 Biographical Sketch 129 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1. Map of Washington Metro rail 8 Figure 2.2. McMansion in McLean, VA, a suburb of 11 Washington, D.C. Figure 2.3. Brick front façade with vinyl siding applied to other 12 dwelling elevations Figure 2.4. A New Urbanist community 15 Figure 2.5. Custom small home 18 Figure 2.6. Manufactured ‘Granny Flat’ 21 Figure 2.7. Brainard Warner Mansion located in 23 Kensington, Maryland Figure 2.8. Cohousing communities 24 Figure 2.9. Silver Sage Village in Boulder, Colorado 28 Figure 2.10. A universally designed kitchen 30 Figure 3.1. The Preserve at Small’s Nursery 40 Figure 3.2. Street-level map of the Preserve 41 Figure 3.3. Entrance to the Preserve 41 Figure 3.4. Community amenities 42 Figure 3.5. Leisure World 42 Figure 3.6. The McMansion selected to be repurposed 43 Figure 3.7. Homes for sale 43 Figure 3.8. Home exterior 44 Figure 3.9. Outdoor spaces 44 Figure 3.10. Basement floor plan 45 vii Figure 3.11. First floor plan 46 Figure 3.12. Second floor plan 47 Figure 3.13. Attic floor plan 48 Figure 3.14. The two-story foyer 49 Figure 3.15. Home office off the foyer 49 Figure 3.16. Formal living area 49 Figure 3.17. Eat-in kitchen 49 Figure 3.18. Kitchen dining areas 50 Figure 3.19. The formal dining room 50 Figure 3.20. Step-down family room 50 Figure 3.21. Family room features 50 Figure 3.22. Basement features 51 Figure 3.23. Bedroom of master suite 51 Figure 3.24. Sitting room of master suite 51 Figure 3.25. Master bathroom 52 Figure 3.26. Bedroom 2 52 Figure 3.27. Bedrooms 3 and 4 53 Figure 3.28. Shared bathroom 53 Figure 4.1. Senior residence site plan 73 Figure 4.2. Senior stacking parti diagram 74 Figure 4.3. Senior first floor plan 76 Figure 4.4. Perspective of senior lounge area 77 Figure 4.5. Unit 2 ADA bathroom detail 79 viii Figure 4.6. Senior basement level floor plan 80 Figure 4.7. Senior Unit 2 ADA kitchen 81 Figure 4.8. Senior second floor plan 82 Figure 4.9. Senior attic floor plan 84 Figure 4.10. Senior structure cross-section 86 Figure 4.11. Materials specified in senior structure 87 Figure 4.12. Small families site plan 89 Figure 4.13. Small families stacking parti diagram 90 Figure 4.14. Small families first floor plan 91 Figure 4.15. Perspective of shared childcare area 93 Figure 4.16. Small families basement floor plan 94 Figure 4.17. Small families second floor plan 95 Figure 4.18. Perspective of living area in Unit 3 96 Figure 4.19. Small families attic floor plan 97 Figure 4.20. Small families cross-section 99 Figure 4.21. Small families specifications 100 Figure 4.22. Young professionals site plan 102 Figure 4.23. Young professionals stacking parti diagram 103 Figure 4.24. Young professionals first floor plan 105 Figure 4.25. Young professionals lounge perspective 106 Figure 4.26. Young professionals basement floor plan 107 Figure 4.27. Young professionals second floor plan 108 Figure 4.28. Perspective of Unit 3 109 ix Figure 4.29. Young professionals attic floor plan 110 Figure 4.30. Young professionals cross-section 112 Figure 4.31. Young professionals unit specifications 113 x LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1. Common Area Space Requirements 66 Table 3.2. Individual Residence Space Requirements 67 Table 4.1. Cost Estimate for the Young Professionals Unit 114 Table 4.2. Sales Trends for Rockville, Redland, Olney, North 116 Bethesda, Brookeville, Brinklow for Single Family Residences (SFR) and Condominiums xi ABSTRACT The mortgage lending crisis of 2008 in the United States has become a major political and social issue (Reuters, 2008). Within this dilemma are two specific problems which may be solved to mutual benefit. First, there is an abundance of empty homes on the market; and second, there are people who cannot qualify to buy acceptable housing due to stricter lending standards. Specifically, this study will address the need for affordable housing and the concurrent problem of empty ‘McMansions’, a dwelling type increasingly available due to the current mortgage crisis. In an effort to provide a solution to the housing crisis for various population groups, three different residential designs will be designed within a McMansion, with one unit each designed specifically for seniors, small families, and young professionals. Each will incorporate design features that seek to promote community, mutual support amongst the residents, and principles of sustainability. The McMansion to be repurposed will be located in a suburban area of Washington, D.C. where the cost of housing is especially expensive. As this is not yet a familiar housing solution, opposition to the project design is anticipated. This presents challenges to provide both affordable housing options as well as solve the issue of vacant homes across the country. Further, this study’s proposal for congregate, mutually supportive living may also offer social benefits for certain types of persons in western culture. These groups include the elderly, families with young children, and young professionals who have yet to achieve full financial stability. Several design solutions will be presented that will utilize vacant houses and turn them into affordable homes while also facilitating community interaction and sustainability. The design will take advantage of sustainable aspects such as higher- density living, mass transportation, and proximity to local necessities. It proposes to accomplish this by using existing housing stock, and specifically the particular type of house some sources have derided as ‘McMansions’, or dwellings which are larger than the average 2,500 square foot home, generic in style and packed in close together on insufficiently-sized lots (Smith, 2007). This repurposing also serves xii to make timely use of existing dwellings (which themselves use considerable natural resources to construct) in a different way, thus avoiding the unnecessary construction of further dwellings.