Her house in Clifton Heights was once a Methodist church built in 1888

When a couple looks for a new home, they don’t usually end up with a church or a bed-and-breakfast. But in early April, Ken Gilb and Jesse Wise purchased a building in Clifton Heights that offered all three.

One day after attending an open house at the 1888 Methodist church, which had been converted into a home and boarding house by the previous owner, they made an offer that was accepted. Today it is their home and they continue to operate it as a boarding house.

The couple are the perfect new caregivers. Jesse, a native of St. Louis, is an admirer of St. Louis architecture and knew the church. As a child, she fished in the lake at Clifton Heights Park, just a block away. For her, living in the church was like a dream come true.

Plus, since they already owned an Airbnb in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and a four-unit apartment in St. Louis, they knew how to manage rental properties.

Additionally, one of the reasons for their purchase was to “keep the building as it is in the name of St. Louis,” said Ken, who is accustomed to writing mission statements for his business ventures and major decisions in his personal life. In his mission statement for the church, he wrote, “As dedicated stewards of this historic building, we are committed to preserving its rich heritage and ensuring that its stories and architectural beauty are celebrated and shared with all who live in or visit St. Louis,” he wrote.

“We spoke to the neighbors and the local Community Relation Council. Both were happy to have a family move in and that the building should continue to be used as a bed and breakfast rather than a venue,” says Ken. “We are also huge music fans and recently invited the neighbors over to enjoy an a cappella performance by some friends.”

When you enter the former nave, now known as the Great Hall, you take a few steps, stop and take in the magnificent sight before you. Two 30-foot-high arched stained glass windows on the north and south walls are flanked by two smaller Gothic arched stained glass windows. On a sunny day, it is as if you were standing in a rainbow.

At one end of the chancel, the church organ was housed in a large niche in a high wooden arched frame. At the other end of the room, an impressive oak staircase leads to the second floor to the guest rooms, which were formerly church offices and classrooms.

Throughout the building, door and window arches are finished in polished oak, highlighting the craftsmanship that was prevalent in historic buildings of the early 20th century.

“The previous owner bought the church in 2004 after the congregation had dwindled and it had become too costly to continue. He worked for 14 years to convert the building into a bed and breakfast,” Ken says. “They were open for two years but closed during COVID and never reopened, but he was incredibly talented and had a fantastic woodworking shop in the basement.”

The furniture in the guest rooms was left as it was, making it easy to reopen the house as an inn, but one thing is missing: the original pews from the sanctuary. Ken has heard that there are still some pews in homes in the neighborhood, and he hopes to see one someday, if not have one returned.

The three-foot-tall copper bell that hung in the bell tower and announced Sunday services is still on display in an outdoor courtyard. At the top of the bell tower is now an eight-person hot tub. “We were told the church is built on the third highest point in St. Louis. The 360-degree view of St. Louis from up there is spectacular,” Ken says. “We go up almost every night.”

Several home improvement projects are underway. While the 6,500 square feet of the two upper floors have been in pristine condition, Ken is in the process of converting 4,000 square feet in the basement into an owner’s suite.

Some stained glass windows also need to be repaired. “Luckily, we found 30 of them in the attic that we can use to replace the broken glass,” says Ken.

There is even a happy coincidence in one of the stained glass windows on display, which is not originally from the church. It belonged to Jesse’s mother, who received it when the 1892 St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church in the Hill neighborhood was closed and demolished in 2005. At the bottom of the window, the words “Owens and Yost” are written in the stained glass.

“Owens is Jesse’s maiden name and the window was paid for and donated by her family,” says Ken.