Paul Allen Buys `Temporary' House

BELLEVUE - Multimillionaire Paul Allen has purchased a second waterfront home, this one in Bellevue's Newport Shores neighborhood, to live in while his Mercer Island estate is under construction.

Although Jody Patton, Allen's sister and project manager, would not reveal the purchase price, the house was listed at $2.35 million. Designed by architect Ralph Anderson, the home is described as having ``all rooms with view of lake; dock; landscaping worthy of arboretum; and unbelievable privacy.''

Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, has been living on Mercer Island for about five years. His plans for his seven-acre property there include remodeling the existing home and building a second, 10,000-square-foot residence for his mother; constructing a private sports complex with an indoor basketball gymnasium and two covered tennis courts; a theater building with art gallery and stargazing room; an underground seven-car garage; and a pool and grotto on the waterfront north of his home,

Last week the Mercer Island hearing examiner denied variances that would have allowed sky bridges over the private road from West Mercer Way to Allen's current residence, and rose trellises where the road tunnels under 77th Avenue Southeast.

Patton said no decision has been made on whether to appeal, but added that the variances are not vital to the

project. The deadline for an appeal is Tuesday Aug. 7.