I am back visiting my parents in Woodcliff Lake, NJ. They have lived in their home since 1979, in a cul-de-sac that once ended in a 20 acre forest and azalea farm.
Four years ago, developers bought up the land. In marched the bulldozers. The company erected these monstrosities with ornate doors, cheap siding, and stone or brick facades. They have two story high vinyl windows, and great rooms. As I predicted in 2003, the residents speed along in their SUV’s and their children rarely seem to venture outside.
The builders made no attempt to blend these McMansions into the hills or woods, and they absolutely are discordant and ugly next to our older street. They even war with each other.
NJ, like California, has its own unique ugliness that is built upon the eroding sands of American civilization. These homes are dependent on cheap gas, fear of crime, living in a virtual computerland with plasma screen TV’s and $49 Home Depot chandeliers. They are utterly uninterested in their surroundings and could have been dropped into this site by flying saucers.
Here in Van Nuys 
They should plant some trees along those streets to hide the houses. Tell the owners it’s for secvurity purposes.
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Scott-
Well I heard from other people who grew up here that they found it sterile. But I came from Chicago where we didn’t have peach farms, forests, hills, rock streams, Dutch architecture….just 35 minutes from Manhattan. I thought the idea of country living within driving distance of the greatest city on earth was ideal.
We should meet up when I get back to LA.
Andrew
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Squawk! My home town!
Lived there 1966-1986 in a Colonial style tract home which was brand new shortly after I was born.
It was, in many ways, an idyllic childhood. I did have a few friends in my tract-home neighborhood, and we would bike to the Dairy Queen or the local farm stand to get freshly-baked donuts and freshly-squeezed apple cider. They tore that place down years ago for corporate headquarters buildings. The woods where we would explore now holds the corporate HQ of Sony.
It was miles of driving to any shopping of any significance or any cultural attractions. Everything was driving. My parents were “buying safety,” but what did they lose by doing so? They both grew up in The Bronx. End note: I now live in downtown Los Angeles in a 100 year-old building.
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“These homes are dependent on cheap gas, fear of crime, living in a virtual computerland with plasma screen TV’s and $49 Home Depot chandeliers.”
Great description, esp. the Home
Depot detail.
In my neighborhood in L.A., all the full-of-character old apartment buildings are being torn down to make way for gigantic McVillas stacked high with condos going for $800,000+. I’m sure the underground parking spaces will be SUV-supersized.
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