A Redditor recently voiced frustration over a property they found that was abandoned before construction was completed.
"Husk of a mega mansion that was given-up on halfway through construction in Texas," they shared on r/urbanexploration. "Two or three guest houses are incomplete behind the mansion as well."
The property was abandoned around 2017, according to the poster. Images they shared show that the roof, windows, and substantial portions of the internal wiring, plumbing, HVAC, and siding were completed before the developer ditched it.
"That is more like 90% completed, wow," one commenter wrote.
Abandoned "McMansions," as the internet calls them, are unfortunately a fairly common occurrence. While large properties can seem appealing to buyers, when faced with the cost of executing them to completion, some initial investors decide to turn their time and money elsewhere. Since these houses are so expensive to finish — let alone maintain — once that initial developer leaves, often the properties are left to fester.
Homes this massive are fairly wasteful in part due to excessive materials and land used to build them. There are options during construction to somewhat mitigate the operational energy consumption concerns of a larger building, like insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels.
However, improvements to the environmental impact of construction itself have lagged. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) notes that the construction and buildings sector accounts for a staggering 37% of global pollution, with cement, steel, and aluminum production playing significant roles in that metric. The program notes that avoiding unnecessary production of these materials is a major step in limiting harmful pollution while the industry explores new ways to decarbonize conventional construction.
While other factors like high energy usage to power, heat, and air condition this particular property aren't at play, having a mansion of this size mostly built save drywall, insulation, and cosmetic details is a particularly disappointing use of resources.
"What a waste of trees," another commenter noted.
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