A century-old home in Longwood is the center of a new initiative aimed at bringing it back to life.

In a release this week, the Longwood Historic Society discussed the project, which involves the 1880s Lewis House — one of the oldest surviving structures in the county.

According to the group, the city voted to save the building and put together a budget to relocate it to Reiter Park, though when the city issued a formal request for proposals, only one bid came back.

That bid was substantially over budget, putting a stop to the city’s plans.

Per the LHS, municipal procurement can often be much pricier, so the group is now planning to execute the project itself.

WHAT IS THE LEWIS HOUSE?

The building — named for its first two inhabitants, brothers J.D. and N.J. Lewis — was originally built at 202 Wilma Street, where the Longwood Community Building is today.

While little is known about the brothers themselves, several families have lived there in the decades and century to follow, according to LHS President Jason Byrne.

But when the Longwood Community Building was eventually constructed in 2002, the home had to be relocated to 116 West Bay Ave. to avoid being demolished.

The LHS reports that the home faced being torn down yet again in 2015 when a developer wanted to build a new house on the lot, sparking another relocation to an empty lot at the end of Jessup Avenue, behind Christ Church and the police station.

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM… OR NOT?

Proposals pushed to renovate and move the building to Reiter Park in 2018, and later to Clock Tower Park. However, both of these plans ended up falling through.

And with the city’s plans last year again falling through, the LHS is now taking action to achieve restoration and relocation on its own.

WHAT’S THE PLAN NOW?

The release reveals the LHS’ proposed framework for saving the building:

• Title Transfer: The city of Longwood deeds the Lewis House directly to the LHS.
• Society-Led Campaign: The LHS manages community outreach, corporate/educational partnerships, additional fundraising, and project management of the restoration.
• Campus Integration: After the restoration is finished, the LHS will transfer ownership of the building to Christ Episcopal Church to join their campus on Church Avenue, where the church will handle ongoing maintenance and use the building as a classroom, Bible study and small events space.

“The society envisions using the restoration as a ‘living laboratory,’ with plans to explore educational collaborations with regional high schools, technical colleges, and universities to offer students real-world, hands-on learning experiences in construction trades, design, and public history,” the release continues.

Byrne also told News 6 that the initiative has already received support from contractor AC Cowboys, which has pledged to donate and install the HVAC system for the project.

Now, LHS leaders are building the restoration committee, trying to cement more partnerships for the project, and meet with city staff to finalize the logistics before bringing the formal plan to the city commission.

If all goes as planned, the LHS estimates that the initial phases of exterior restoration could be finished in time for the Christ Episcopal Church’s 150th Anniversary in 2029.

Meanwhile, you can find more information on the project, volunteer enrollment, and sponsorship opportunities at the LHS’ website here.