Building Blues? Go Underground!

I stumbled upon an interesting problem that billionaires are creating for neighborhoods in London.  It appears that many of them are buying historic mansions in fashionable neighborhoods.  However, these homes don't meet the needs of the super wealthy in size and scope.  The location is good, but the homes are just a tad smallish for the owner's needs.

Interestingly, there are restrictive covenants that prevent these homeowners from adding onto or modifying their mansions from their currently grandiose floorplans above ground.  So what have they done?  They have gone underground.

Let's consider just one type of basement modification:

This is a real proposal.  You can read more about it here. Obviously the three story home with topiary gardens is insufficient for this homeowner.  A little sprucing of the basement is in order.  I particularly like the car museum four stories down.  No home is complete without one of those.

I am aware of one home in Ogden that has a basement two stories deep.  But none like this.  So, the next time the city won't let you add that four story tennis court room you've always wanted to your historic Victorian home, think instead about going underground.  It is the opposite of conspicuous consumption, or at least it is pleasant to think so..