Lawyer Building Tree House Office in Pine Forest
Under construction: Law office in the trees.
Photo courtesy Richard Russeth
It’s safe to say that lawyer Richard Russeth is a fan of tree houses. We’re not talking about the tree forts with rope ladders from childhood days.
Russeth, an avid collector of books about tree house architecture, is taking on his own endeavor: building a sophisticated tree-office nestled 20 feet high in a grove of 50- to 90-foot tall pine trees near his home in Evergreen, Colo.
Russeth says tree house-building is in vogue, and that enthusiasts are constructing everything from single-room getaways to actual homes perched above ground.
“Most people think it’s a cool idea and are jealous, as they’d like to have an office in a tree too,” Russeth said in an interview. “But I don’t think they realize how substantial it is just to build the foundation.”
Aided by family, the 54-year-old Russeth constructed the 12-by-19-foot wooden platform that will serve as the office’s base last week.
Future plans include a small house to accommodate his desk and a couch with large windows overlooking the mountains. The office will also have Wi-Fi and wireless phone lines, and perhaps a quaint wood-burning stove so that Russeth can easily conduct business as the vice president and general counsel of Leprino Foods during the spring and summer months.
Follow Russeth’s construction project on Twitter @Richard Russeth.
