It's true! Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, previously home to famous names like Normal Mailer, Edie Sedgewick, and the guy who shot John Lennon (Mark David Chapman), is getting a remodel and soon will be a luxury hotel. Built in 1931 it's pretty perfect for the remake, with its location in Manhattan along the East River, its Italian Renaissance style, and even its "H" layout with hotel-sized rooms on long corridors.

Bellevue hasn't treated psych patients since 1984 when it was transformed into a homeless shelter, and now the plans for yet another renovation are well underway. No word yet on when they hope to have the hotel finished, but hopefully there's a developer locked in by the end of the year so renovations can get started by the middle of 2009.

Knowing all the history (and insanity) that happened in those walls, will you stay there?

I've been lucky to find homes with great woodwork lately. This one in Bellevue, Washington is one of the most amazing I have seen. It is a four-bedroom home designed to invoke a zen-like serenity. The home was designed by architect Curtis Gelotte, who calls it Wood, Stone and Water on his site. Rough stone fireplaces and large windows as well as an indoor waterfall help complete the feeling of rustic calm. The staircases here are just amazing but the most stunning piece of design in the home is the custom designed tea-house canopy over master bed. What a place to sleep. It is listed at $3.5 million.

I know, I know, another Tuscan villa in a completely inappropriate location but the shots of this home in Bellevue, Idaho glowing warmly from snow-covered mountains won me over. The five-bedroom home sits on nearly 22 acres that include gardens, ponds and pastures. The kitchen island does double duty as a handsome table and its sort of nice to see one not done in granite or another type of stone. The outdoor covered space with is brick vaulted ceiling and heavy wooden bench is particularly winning. Exposed wood beams, tiled floors and plenty of fireplaces add to the studied charm. The current owner has filled the home with rather heavy-looking paintings which add to the home's pretensions of age. It is listed at $6.5 million.

Today's development brings a touch of luxury to Bellevue, Washington. The 17-story European Tower offers just one home per floor plus a two-story penthouse. The project is aimed at those who would usually prefer to buy a house. The elevator opens into each floor and only visits one floor per trip so owners have their privacy. The only shared space is the roofdeck. The building will also have fingerprint readers for the garage, front door and elevators so you don't even need to bring your keys.

To give owners the amenities often found in other complexes membership in the Harbor Club and one of two nearby fitness centers will be included with the price. Both the interior and exterior are clean and modern with simple lines and ample use of glass metal and stone. The project should be finished in the fall of 2008. Prices start around $2 million. A press release in March indicated that there were still 12 residences left for sale.

[via Downtown Bellevue News Blog]

Today's estate is a study in capitalizing on a view. After all this home in Bellevue, Washington has some striking views of Lake Washington and Seattle to showcase. The solution for this contemporary home was to open the enitre side facing the water with plenty of glass. The four-bedroom home sits on 1.38 acres that include a pool house with a studio and exercise room and an angular pool and spa. The main house has a large master suite, guest suite and two additional bedrooms. Innovative usage of concrete and glass give this home a very open and accessible floor plan. This home is listed at $6 million. After the jump, a river of glass adds interest to a long hallway.