Tudor homes built in the 20's and 30's fill tree-lined blocks in the area, just northeast of downtown Dallas.

But resident Angela Hunt feels the enormous new homes springing up in the area are ruining the old-world charm that distinguishes her neighborhood.

"It's very unique, it's very charming, a very old fashioned feel to it," Hunt says of the area. "In these homes that are about 80 years old, you don't see three-story towers. You don't see certain types of architecture that are more common in Plano. It's important to keep that feel."

Builder David Youngs bought an original house on a lot and tore it down. He's replacing it with a 3,000-square-foot home - more than twice the size of the original, with modern amenities.

"We want the neighborhood to be a place people want to live, bring children, and have a good lifestyle close to the city," Youngs said. "Unfortunately, they can't do that in 1,200-1,400 square feet with small closets and one bathroom."

Spacious though they may be, many of the new homes don't fit the 'M Street look'. That's why homeowners like Hunt are going before the city, asking for their neighborhood to be declared a conservation district - to allow residents to be able to determine how new homes should look.

"The best part about conservation districts is we as a neighborhood decide what we want to put in our zoning ordinance," Hunt said.

Supporters of the conservation district say it could help increase property values by as much as 5 to 20%, especially compared to homes in non-conservation districts.

But builder Youngs believes his homes, which sell for up to $500,000, are doing their own part to improve property values.

"This area has probably increased in value by 20%, where if you took Dallas as a whole, you might have had 10% appreciation," Youngs said.

Youngs said he is now making a concerted effort to build homes that fit in. That's exactly what residents want, and they want a conservation district to make sure they get it.

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