A Houston lawyer bought a 15,000-sq-ft mansion listed for $15.5 million just to demolish it; he plans to donate about $4 million of its materials and turn the land into a garden
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 excited to have it, and we are proud to support them.”
Salvaging luxury fixtures for charity
Under the agreement with Habitat for Humanity, salvage crews will carefully remove materials from inside and outside the 15,000-square-foot mansion before the site is cleared. The recovery work will include high-end kitchen equipment, custom woodwork, marble fittings, large air-conditioning units and other building materials. The donated materials are estimated to be worth $4 million. Habitat for Humanity plans to use some of the recovered items in affordable housing projects, while specialised fixtures may be sold through its ReStore shops to raise money for its work. Once the house is removed, the property will become a large private garden. The new green space will connect directly with the family’s main home next door, effectively doubling the size of their landscaped grounds along one of Houston’s best-known streets.
Property value and River Oaks history
The purchase reflects continued activity in River Oaks, an 1,100-acre master-planned community founded in 1924 by brothers Will and Mike Hogg and Hugh Potter. The neighbourhood remains one of Houston’s most exclusive residential areas and is controlled by strict deed restrictions and private maintenance rules overseen by the River Oaks Property Owners association. Harris Central Appraisal District records reviewed by Zillow show that 1708 River Oaks Boulevard had an assessed value of $18,062,181 in 2026. Official tax records show that the property had an annual tax bill of $383,861 before the sale. The $15.5 million asking price was therefore considerably below the official assessed value. Real estate publication The Real Deal said the purchase fits a growing trend known as landmaxxing. The term describes wealthy homeowners buying neighbouring properties, removing existing buildings and combining the lots into larger private estates.
A history of high-profile property moves
Buzbee, a former United States Marine Corps officer who ran for Houston mayor in 2019, has had a prominent presence on River Oaks Boulevard since buying his first home at 1722 River Oaks Boulevard for $14 million in 2013. In 2017, Buzbee drew widespread attention after buying a fully operational, demilitarised $600,000 World War II Sherman tank that had taken part in the Normandy landings. He parked the tank along the kerb outside his home, leading to a dispute with the local property owners association. He eventually donated the tank to Texas A&M University in 2018. The main estate also became the scene of a major police investigation in 2019 after burglars broke into the home following a Super Bowl event. They stole $21 million worth of artwork, jewellery, firearms and electronics. The items were later recovered after Buzbee offered a $50,000 reward for information that led to arrests. In February 2022, the couple put their 12,209-square-foot Tudor-style mansion on the market for $27.5 million through Douglas Elliman Real Estate. PaperCity Magazine and CultureMap Houston reported at the time that the listing even allowed buyers to pay in Bitcoin. When the home failed to sell at that price, the family decided to keep it and expand onto the neighbouring property instead.
Creating a larger private garden
The demolition of 1708 River Oaks Boulevard will remove 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 beauty salon. Removing a fully functioning estate of this size is one of the more notable residential site clearances in recent Texas real estate. The work will happen in stages, starting with Habitat for Humanity’s salvage operation. Once workers have removed all usable fixtures and mechanical equipment, heavy machinery will bring down the remaining structure. Landscaping crews will then begin work on the garden extension. The finished project will join the two River Oaks lots into one large, connected green property. The expansion will give the family greater privacy while also sending millions of dollars worth of reusable construction materials towards charitable housing projects.
