Why are many of ocean city’s new homes so forgettable — and how to bring back family-friendly Character
Walk around Ocean City today and ask yourself — why are so many of our new homes so unmemorable? So many are bland, characterless, predictable. The reason, in my view, is simple and structural.
First, most new construction in town is speculative. These aren’t homes built by families for themselves; they’re products built by developers for profit. And profit-driven construction almost always leads to mediocrity. Spec builders maximize square footage, minimize yards, and squeeze in as many bedrooms as possible. They skimp on materials, craftsmanship, and architectural detail — not because they don’t know better, but because additional details cut into the margin. This isn’t the architect’s fault; it’s the business model.
When an actual homeowner designs a house to live in, the result is usually distinctive and thoughtful. They build for enjoyment, beauty, and warmth. With these marching orders, architects can design, and builders can build something magical.
But residential buyers can rarely get the chance to create these homes — they’re routinely outbid by developers. As a result, our streets are full of lifeless, oversized structures. As one architect serving on the Historic Preservation Commission recently put it, “We’re building barracks.”
Second, the materials have changed — and not for the better. The ocean environment is unforgiving. New wood simply doesn’t last in that weather like old growth did. So builders have to switch to materials like vinyl and PVC.
But these materials look and feel cold. They don’t shape or age well, they don’t breathe, and they severely limit design options. PVC, for example, can’t be painted anything but a light color without cracking.
These are not small problems — they constrain creativity. And architects haven’t yet found ways to bring warmth and nuance back into these synthetic skins, especially when pushed to improve profit margins. The result is houses that feel sterile.
This is also why demolition is such a shame. The older homes were built with old-growth wood that still holds up to the environment and has a richness today’s materials can’t match. When we throw those materials in the dumpster, it’s a huge loss. When we reuse what’s already here — even selectively — we preserve that warmth, character, and flexibility.
So how do we fix this?
The simplest and most effective way is to reduce the size of what can be built. Modest changes — slightly larger setbacks, stronger parking requirements, or returning R-2 zones to R-1 — would have a dramatic effect. Smaller allowable builds would make it harder for developers to outbid prospective homeowners. Spec builders thrive only when they can maximize every inch of the lot. If the scale is constrained, their economic advantage evaporates — and ordinary buyers regain access.
These changes would also have ripple effects. Demolitions would decline, as renovations (vs. building new) would have an economic chance. The style, grace, and warmth of our neighborhoods could return. Smaller builds also mean more grass, sunlight, and space — not just for one property, but for the streetscape as a whole.
The economic ripple is just as important. Today, a modest three-bedroom home on a 30-by-100 lot can sell for $1.5 million because a developer can tear it down and build a duplex with two five-bedroom units, each selling for $1.5 million. The math works only for the developer. But if that same lot were zoned R-1, or subject to more gracious setbacks, the teardown value drops — and suddenly that $1.5 million teardown is a more affordable family home again.
That’s how you bring Ocean City back within reach of the middle class — places where our teachers, police, fire, and shop owners can actually live. And that brings a year-round vibrancy to the town that is slowly and surely being lost.
Ocean City doesn’t need to stop growing — it just needs to start growing wisely. Let’s build homes with character again, not barracks with ocean views.