Smaller homes trumping McMansions as a result of the current economic slowdown? No less an authority than neighborhood resident Virginia McAlester thinks so — she’s predicting the death of McMansions, along with better energy efficiency, better constructions materials and even huge homes carved into "manors" housing multiple unrelated residents. So says a story in the DMN (the DMN website doesn’t have the link right now, but I’ll keep looking).
McAlester is the daughter of the late Dorothy and Wallace Savage, Swiss Avenue pioneers, and author of A Field Guide to American Homes. She has long been an East Dallas protector, periodically popping up to weigh in on proposed developments from the new Whole Foods location to the current form-based zoning issue before the city council.

"When you see people who have a whole room or a closet, or two-room closets, I mean, that reflects an incredible amount of discretionary income and wealth," she told the News, adding that "homes will be built ina greener and greener manner to reduce long-term utility costs."

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No more McMansions? Not so fast, says National Association of Home Builders Research Center research director Ed Hudson.

"Well, maybe a little, but the average size is increasing," Hudson said in the story. "People are a lot more somber in mood and a lot less exuberant about continuing growth in wealthy."