Distinguished Houston trial lawyer Tony Buzbee has purchased a 15,000-square-foot luxurious mansion listed for $15.5 million within the unique River Oaks neighbourhood, with plans to tear down the complete home and switch the property into a non-public backyard property. The acquisition of 1708 River Oaks Boulevard permits Buzbee and his spouse, Frances Moody Buzbee, to develop their current property immediately beside their long-time dwelling at 1722 River Oaks Boulevard. As an alternative of dwelling in or renovating the massive mansion, the couple has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to take away and save usable supplies from the property earlier than demolition begins.Reviews from the Houston Enterprise Journal and the Houston Chronicle confirmed that the non-profit will handle the salvage work, recovering tens of millions of kilos of architectural fittings and constructing supplies to assist reasonably priced housing initiatives throughout Texas. “They are going to be tearing it down and salvaging roughly $4 million value of high-end supplies, home equipment, air models and the like for his or her mission,” Buzbee stated in an electronic mail assertion in regards to the donation. “They’re excited to have it, and we’re proud to assist them.”
Salvaging luxurious fixtures for charity
Below the settlement with Habitat for Humanity, salvage crews will fastidiously take away supplies from inside and out of doors the 15,000-square-foot mansion earlier than the positioning is cleared. The restoration work will embrace high-end kitchen gear, customized woodwork, marble fittings, giant air-conditioning models and different constructing supplies. The donated supplies are estimated to be value $4 million. Habitat for Humanity plans to make use of a number of the recovered gadgets in reasonably priced housing initiatives, whereas specialised fixtures could also be bought by means of its ReStore retailers to boost cash for its work. As soon as the home is eliminated, the property will turn into a big non-public backyard. The brand new inexperienced house will join immediately with the household’s primary dwelling subsequent door, successfully doubling the scale of their landscaped grounds alongside considered one of Houston’s best-known streets.
Property worth and River Oaks historical past
The acquisition displays continued exercise in River Oaks, an 1,100-acre master-planned group based in 1924 by brothers Will and Mike Hogg and Hugh Potter. The neighbourhood stays considered one of Houston’s most unique residential areas and is managed by strict deed restrictions and personal upkeep guidelines overseen by the River Oaks Property Homeowners affiliation. Harris Central Appraisal District data reviewed by Zillow present that 1708 River Oaks Boulevard had an assessed worth of $18,062,181 in 2026. Official tax data present that the property had an annual tax invoice of $383,861 earlier than the sale. The $15.5 million asking value was subsequently significantly beneath the official assessed worth. Actual property publication The Actual Deal stated the acquisition suits a rising development often called landmaxxing. The time period describes rich householders shopping for neighbouring properties, eradicating current buildings and mixing the tons into bigger non-public estates.
A historical past of high-profile property strikes
Buzbee, a former United States Marine Corps officer who ran for Houston mayor in 2019, has had a outstanding presence on River Oaks Boulevard since shopping for his first dwelling at 1722 River Oaks Boulevard for $14 million in 2013. In 2017, Buzbee drew widespread consideration after shopping for a totally operational, demilitarised $600,000 World Conflict II Sherman tank that had taken half within the Normandy landings. He parked the tank alongside the kerb outdoors his dwelling, resulting in a dispute with the native property house owners affiliation. He ultimately donated the tank to Texas A&M College in 2018. The principle property additionally grew to become the scene of a serious police investigation in 2019 after burglars broke into the house following a Tremendous Bowl occasion. They stole $21 million value of paintings, jewelry, firearms and electronics. The gadgets had been later recovered after Buzbee supplied a $50,000 reward for data that led to arrests. In February 2022, the couple put their 12,209-square-foot Tudor-style mansion in the marketplace for $27.5 million by means of Douglas Elliman Actual Property. PaperCity Journal and CultureMap Houston reported on the time that the itemizing even allowed patrons to pay in Bitcoin. When the house did not promote at that value, the household determined to maintain it and develop onto the neighbouring property as an alternative.
Creating a bigger non-public backyard
The demolition of 1708 River Oaks Boulevard will take away a mansion that included six bedrooms, an indoor swimming pool, a domed stained-glass ceiling, a lacquered library, a wine vault and a wellness wing with a magnificence salon. Eradicating a totally functioning property of this measurement is without doubt one of the extra notable residential website clearances in current Texas actual property. The work will occur in phases, beginning with Habitat for Humanity’s salvage operation. As soon as staff have eliminated all usable fixtures and mechanical gear, heavy equipment will carry down the remaining construction. Landscaping crews will then start work on the backyard extension. The completed mission will be a part of the 2 River Oaks tons into one giant, linked inexperienced property. The enlargement will give the household better privateness whereas additionally sending tens of millions of {dollars} value of reusable development supplies in direction of charitable housing initiatives.
