FLICKR/PAUL SABLEMAN
The house known as the "Magic Chef Mansion" was built in 1908.
The storied Magic Chef Mansion is getting a $1.6 million glow-up — but even six figures don't go far on a house this big.
The Compton Heights mansion apparently had its roof damaged in a storm. And that's a costly problem. The house sprawls to 7,404 square feet, and as any homeowner in one of St. Louis' historic districts could tell you, slate roofs covering a space that big are extremely expensive.
Indeed, records filed with the city's Cultural Resources Office show that replacing existing slate on the roof and applying ice and water shields to protect the materials below is by itself a six-figure job, with an estimate totaling $638,572 for that piece of the work alone.
On top of that, the mansion's trustee has submitted paperwork to remove and replace the copper gutters and downspouts ($303,605) and remove and replace copper dormers and flashing ($421,110). The scaffolding alone will cost $122,000. And an additional $150,000 in estimated charges come from replacing the copper flat roofing and rubber flat roofing on the carriage house.
Grand total: $1,636,390.
Now, it's worth noting that official city records only value the mansion itself at $1.3 million, which tells you how big a money pit these houses can be. Even the Magic Chef Mansion, which is open for occasional ticketed tours and private events, is surely more a labor of love than a profit-making venture.
So next time you're driving around Lafayette Square or Compton Heights, dreaming about buying one of these big old mansions and living like a robber baron, you might want to think twice. They're beautiful, yes. But old houses aren't cheap.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated the assessed value of the Magic Chef Mansion. The house has $200,000 in commercial value and another $1.1 million in residential value, per city records. We regret the error.
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