A Houston lawyer bought a 15,000-sq-ft mansion listed for $15.5 million just to demolish it

Houston attorney Tony Buzbee and his wife, Frances, recently acquired 1708 River Oaks Blvd Prominent Houston trial lawyer Tony Buzbee has bought a 15,000-square-foot luxury mansion listed for $15.5 million in the exclusive River Oaks neighbourhood, with plans to tear down the entire house and turn the property into a private garden estate. The purchase of 1708 River Oaks Boulevard allows Buzbee and his wife, Frances Moody Buzbee, to expand their existing property directly beside their long-time home at 1722 River Oaks Boulevard. Instead of living in or renovating the large mansion, the couple has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to remove and save usable materials from the property before demolition begins.Reports from the Houston Business Journal and the Houston Chronicle confirmed that the non-profit will manage the salvage work, recovering millions of pounds of architectural fittings and building materials to support affordable housing projects across Texas. “They will be tearing it down and salvaging approximately $4 million worth of high-end materials, appliances, air units and the like for their mission,” Buzbee said in an email statement about the donation. “They are exci...