The future of Dallas’ iconic “Mushroom House” is uncertain after car dealer Clay Cooley acquired the home along with two adjacent Highland Park properties, sparking speculation about potential teardowns.
The house at 4200 Armstrong Parkway, known for its curved design and green-blue copper roof, is one of three multimillion-dollar mansions Cooley and his wife, Lisa, own at Armstrong Parkway and Bordeaux Avenue, The Dallas Morning News reported. The other two are at 4208 Armstrong Parkway and 4209 Bordeaux Avenue.
The couple’s plans for their 2.5 acres of prime properties are a mystery. They haven’t commented, but it’s led to questions about whether the unique home, and the historic residences next to it, will survive or be cleared to make way for new construction.
The Cooleys haven’t filed any demolition or major renovation permits, though plumbing and mechanical permits were submitted for two of the properties. Preservationists are hopeful that at least the 1920s Tudor-style home on Bordeaux, designed by famed architect Hal Thomson, will be spared.
The group Preservation Park Cities recently toured two of the homes but wasn’t allowed inside 4208 Armstrong Parkway due to structural concerns.
Clay Cooley attended a Preservation Park Cities meeting in February, where he expressed a desire to avoid community conflict. Preservationists suggested a design that would retain the Bordeaux home as a guesthouse while allowing for a new build on the Armstrong lots.
The couple bought the home at 4208 Armstrong Parkway first, in 2020, county records show. They then purchased 4209 Bordeaux Avenue and the Mushroom House in a five-month period, transferring them into their name by December 2024.
The Mushroom House, completed in 1997 by Dallas architect Tom Workman, has long divided opinion for its whimsical, storybook-like design. Its price history is unavailable, but its market value is estimated at over $7.5 million, according to Zillow.
Preservationists admit that while the house is architecturally significant, it may be less defensible due to its modern construction and location on a highly visible lot.
Local ordinances also complicate the equation. Highland Park rules prohibit combining all three parcels into a single lot, which could influence Cooley’s final decision.
— Judah Duke
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https://therealdeal.com/texas/2025/03/04/25m-dallas-mansion-hits-market-as-luxury-listings-swell/
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