Resident shares photo of 'atrocious' project in neighborhood: 'What am I looking at?'

It's one thing to have questions about "McMansions" and another to try to figure out … whatever this is that one Redditor posted. 

They uploaded a photo of what, at first glance, looks like a McMansion. On second glance, it appears to be four homes in one building, generally McMansion-style but much smaller. Each has an independent entry and garage, and all are identical and attached. 

While it seems likely that the structure is intended to be four homes, it's possible that it's only one with a very strange design. Either way, it raises questions about municipal planning and the use of resources. While several homes put together like this might be economical on some fronts, McMansions themselves are no strangers to controversy. 

According to Strong Towns, some people find them ostentatious and even ugly, depending on the design. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors noted that they are often energy-inefficient to the extreme and many contain toxic building materials, which can leak into the ground in some areas, especially if there's a lot of rain. 

Thus, even if this particular example is more efficient than a straight-up McMansion, it could still cause issues in the area. After all, no one cares if the toxins in the groundwater come from one large home or smaller connected ones in the style of a McMansion. 

This is why understanding issues like these is key — preferably before someone decides where they want to live. Talking with family and friends can help spread the knowledge you gain, so others can be careful about the kind of home they buy, too.

Some Redditors had questions about what they were looking at. "W-What am I looking at??" one person asked. "Is it single-family or a quad? Atrocious either way," another said. "Townhouse budget with McMansion aspirations," another posited.

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