Just Like That, Historic Highland Park Home by Influential Architect O'Neil Ford Is Erased

On Tuesday morning, the giant home along Armstrong Avenue in Highland Park was known as the Penson House, so named for the couple who had it built in 1954. By Tuesday evening, the 8,900-square-foot house was nothing more than an enormous pile of rubble. An excavator spent the day devouring another bit of Park Cities history. And so, for the third time in three years, a house designed by legendary Texas architect O'Neil Ford has disappeared.In September, Lute Riley -- the eponym of the Honda dealership he sold 16 years ago -- bought Nancy and John Penson's house at auction for $4.95 million. That was $1 million less than Briggs Freeman once asked for it, when it was offering "a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a property that has not been available for purchase in over 60 years."  Continue reading...