Taxpayers take tour of mansion they own
“Welcome to my house!” Trisha Upchurch said, spreading her arms to take in the high-ceiling foyer. To her left, a large coat of arms hung over the fireplace. Behind her, glass doors opened to an expansive patio andthe infinity-edge pool; beyond that was a stunning view over the length of Lake Travis.
This past weekend, the Lago Vista Women’s Club held its annual Tour of Homes fundraiser. Among other philanthropic projects, proceeds from the $20 tickets help fund college scholarships for local girls. At the last minute, the club thought: Wouldn’t it be fun to include the cliff-side mansion reluctantly acquired by city leaders three years ago?
“You are invited to tour the $3.7 million waterfront mansion that Lago Vista taxpayers own!” a press release stated.
The house was the subject of an American-Statesman profile last month. It detailed how a long-running feud between a wealthy developer and the former mayor had escalated until Lago Vista was more or less forced to pay — overpay, many say — for the mansion in order to complete a much-needed civic water proj-
ect. Unable to sell it since then, the city in the past year had started advertising the 8,000-square-foot estate as a short-term rental.
Some visitors took the home tour as an opportunity to reminisce about the acquisition’s gossipy back story.
“This has been highly controversial since I can remember,” said Michael Zaydel, who chatted with two women as they gazed out at the lake from the patio off the small TV room. “Somehow it got fouled up in the personalities. They just screwed it up, both of them. I don’t know who to believe.”
Others acknowledged they had been unaware until they read it in the Statesman that, in addition to its police department and municipal golf course, this lakeside city of 7,000 was the proud owner of a Mediterranean revival-style manor with a home theater, Greek statuary and game room.
“That was the first time a lot of us knew we owned this,” said Upchurch, the women’s club president. “And, honestly, we’re not real happy about it.”
Carl, a recent transplant from upstate New York who didn’t want his last name used, said he might be persuaded to feel better about the city government’s purchase of luxury real estate if, as a local taxpayer/owner, he could claim his ownership portion.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “I’m waiting for my night here.”
Dan Beauchamp also liked that idea. He sat on a reclining deck chair next to the pool. A self-cleaning vacuum moved slowly through the turquoise waters, occasionally flipping above the surface and startling those standing nearby with an unexpected mist of cold water.
“It’s part mine,” he said. “So” — pointing to the panoramic view — “I’ll take this part.”
Or maybe, he continued, “I can get all my neighbors together and we can spend ...” — he performed a quick mental calculation — “one night here.” During the high season, the Lago Vista house rents for about $2,000 a night.
Beauchamp said he’d been eager to view the six-bedroom, nine-bath chateau. “I mean, I always considered a mansion as 4,000 square feet and a three-car garage,” he said, “But this is a whole different level.”
Beauchamp said he would be relieved when the city finally emptied its one-manor portfolio and got back to basic municipal business. “Hell no, we don’t need to keep it,” he said. “I got potholes in front of my house that I’d like fixed instead of owning a mansion.”
Besides, his wife, Karen, observed that after three years of municipal ownership and an active year of
The slightly dislocated feeling of being underwhelmed by a $2.4 million estate (Lago Vista has dropped its asking price several times since the property was put on the market) was shared by several tourgoers.
short-term rentals, the estate was starting to look a little less opulent and a little more worn. “All of the fascia boards need to be painted,” she pointed out. “And the deck needs refinishing.”
“I wish we could all get in a time capsule,” she said.
The women’s club home tour had been piggybacked onto a previously scheduled open-house sponsored by JW Properties, which is handling the sale listing for Lago Vista. In the three-stove kitchen, a caterer prepared snacks. Jacqueline Wittmuss, JW’s owner, said she’d received several inquiries recently, and was hopeful one might turn into a sale soon.
Out on the patio, Jennifer B and the Groove Band set up to entertain prospective buyers who stopped by. “It’s a beautiful day for rocking it out,” singer Jennifer Lindsey said.
She said she was unintimidated by the ornate Italian-themed surroundings: “I’ve played mansions before.”
The slightly dislocated feeling of being underwhelmed by a $2.4 million estate (Lago Vista has dropped its asking price several times since the property was put on the market) was shared by several tourgoers. The problem with scheduling the city mansion on the Sunday home tour was that it followed Saturday’s stop at Jim and Linda McIngvale’s summer home.
Better known as Mattress Mack, Jim McIngvale is the owner of the Houston-based Gallery Furniture, which has earned a reputation for attention-grabbing promotions. In 2014, he promised a full refund on large purchases leading up to the Super Bowl if the Seattle Seahawks won. Last year, McIngvale offered a similar deal if the Houston Astros won the World Series.
While both teams that McIngvale bet against won (in the Astros’ case he said he was trying to whip up support for the local team), he appears to have survived the costly wagers. The 12-year-old home is appraised at about $7.2 million, and sprawls over 20,000 square feet.
It’s enough to give a taxpayer a slight case of estate envy.
“I think his guest house is as big as our house,” said Ed Tidwell, Lago Vista’s mayor. “His bowling alley is as big as our house.”
“There was an exercise room and of course several pools,” Upchurch said. “And I heard there was a dog-washing room.” But mostly, she said, McIngvale’s place “just felt so comfortable.”
Back on the patio, Beauchamp scanned the grounds of Lago Vista’s less-impressive mansion, taking in the horseshoe pit, the putting green, the hammock swaying gently in the spring breeze. “This place is nice,” he said. “But, now, Mattress Mack. His place is waaay up there. Completely different level.
“I mean, could I live at Mattress Mack’s house? My brain doesn’t even go there.”