A Houston lawyer bought a 15,000-square-foot mansion listed for $15.5 million only to demolish it; plans to donate about $4 million of its materials and turn the land into a garden

Prominent houston Trial attorney Tony Buzbee purchased a 15,000-square-foot luxury mansion listed for $15.5 million in the exclusive River Oaks neighborhood, with plans to tear down the entire house and convert the property into an estate with a private garden. The purchase of 1708 River Oaks Boulevard allows Buzbee and his wife, Frances Moody Buzbee, to expand their existing property directly next to their former home at 1722 River Oaks Boulevard. Rather than live in or renovate the grand mansion, the couple has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to remove and store usable materials from the property before demolition begins.Reports from the Houston Business Journal and the Houston Chronicle confirmed that the nonprofit will manage the salvage work, recovering millions of pounds of architectural fixtures and construction materials to support affordable housing projects across Texas. “They will tear it down and salvage approximately $4 million in high-end materials, appliances, air units and the like for their mission,” Buzbee said in an email statement about the donation. “They’re excited to have it and we’re proud to support them.”

Recovery of luxury accessories for charitable purposes

Under the agreement with Habitat for Humanity, rescue crews will carefully remove materials from the interior and exterior of the 15,000-square-foot mansion before the site is cleaned up. Recovery work will include high-end kitchen equipment, custom millwork, marble fixtures, large air conditioning units and other construction 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 specialized accessories can be sold through its ReStore stores 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 to the family’s main house next door, effectively doubling the size of its landscaped grounds along one of Houston’s best-known streets.

River Oaks Property Value and History

The purchase reflects continued activity at River Oaks, a 1,100-acre planned community founded in 1924 by brothers Will, Mike Hogg and Hugh Potter. The neighborhood 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 Homeowners 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 the property had an annual tax bill of $383,861 before the sale. Therefore, the sales price of $15.5 million was considerably below the official appraised value. Real estate publication The Real Deal said the purchase fits a growing trend known as landmaxxing. The term describes wealthy owners who buy neighboring properties, remove existing buildings and combine the lots into larger private properties.

A history of high-profile real estate moves

Buzbee, a former United States Marine Corps officer who ran for mayor of Houston in 2019, has been a prominent presence on River Oaks Boulevard since purchasing his first home at 1722 River Oaks Boulevard for $14 million in 2013. In 2017, Buzbee attracted widespread attention after purchasing a $600,000 demilitarized and fully operational World War II Sherman tank that he had participated in the Normandy landings. He parked the tank on the curb in front of his house, sparking a dispute with the local homeowners 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 art, jewelry, firearms and electronics. The items were later recovered after Buzbee offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrests. In February 2022, the couple listed their 12,209-square-foot Tudor-style mansion for sale 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 house did not sell for that price, the family decided to keep it and expand it to the neighboring property.

Creating a larger private garden

The demolition of 1708 River Oaks Boulevard will eliminate a mansion that included six bedrooms, an indoor pool, a vaulted ceiling with stained glass, a lacquered library, a wine vault and a wellness wing with a beauty salon. The removal of a fully operational property of this size is one of the most notable residential site clearances in recent Texas real estate. The work will be done in stages, beginning with Habitat for Humanity’s rescue operation. Once workers have removed all usable mechanical fixtures and equipment, heavy machinery will tear down the remaining structure. Then, landscaping crews will begin work on expanding the garden. The completed project will unite the two River Oaks lots into one large connected green property. The expansion will provide the family with greater privacy while sending millions of dollars in reusable building materials to charitable housing projects.