You might remember the curious case of Mercer Island's Coval House back in February. One of the island's most celebrated estates was almost demolished over plans to turn its five-acre lot into an eighteen-home development. That plan was struck down by the city council and that was that.
Fast-forward six months and after filing a court petition to challenge the decision and then negotiating to build sixteen homes instead of eighteen, the development plan is back on. And that means The Coval House, along with its $10M tropical pool and rooms with woodwork that traveled the world and took sixteen years to finish, will be demolished after all.
The property already belongs to MI 84th Limited Partnership, the developer who bought the land from the Covals in 2011 after they couldn't find any takers. As the Seattle Times notes, local residents are now concerned that this might be the first of many development projects that will take over the landscape.
If 80's movies taught us anything, it's that if the people of Mercer Island want to drive out these greedy developers to save the Coval House, there's only one thing left to do. Hold a bikini car-wash/breakdancing fundraiser!
· Memorable Mercer Island mansion to bite dust [Seattle Times]
· The Curious Case Of Mercer Island's Coval House [CS]
· Coval House Development Plan Struck Down. Now What? [CS]