BELLE ISLE, Fla. – A group of Belle Isle and Pine Castle residents is pleading for Cornerstone Charter Academy to reconsider their request to demolish the historic Lancaster House.
The house was built in the 1880s and is named after Belle Isle’s first mayor.
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“I was grieved when I heard that they wanted to tear it down,” said Ginni Christopher, a resident of Pine Castle.
Christopher recalled holding bible study meetings at the house several years ago. “This home is very dear to my heart at a time, when we didn’t really have a space at our church.”
Lancaster House is located across from Cornerstone Charter Academy, which leases the property.
“We need the city of Belle Isle and the commissioners have been working so hard on this for so long, to stick to their original decision — this house is worth saving, don’t let it be torn down,” said Bill Morgan, chairman of the nonprofit, Pine Castle Pioneer Days.
The nonprofit is trying to save the house from the wrecking ball and told News 6 that the school wants the space for more parking.
“They really don’t need seven more parking spaces,” said Ben Bateman, vice-chair of the group.
Pine Castle Pioneer Days said the city of Belle Isle had already approved money to move the house, but then changed its mind.
“Five months ago, they made a decision to give $75,000 towards moving the house, then they came back and said, ‘No, it really needs to stay where it is for historical integrity. So would you guys be willing to come in and as Pioneer Days, come in and restore the house and maintain it?’ And we said, ‘Absolutely, yes,’” Morgan said.
On Wednesday evening, the city council discussed the fate of the house. According to the chairman of the nonprofit, it’s not the first time there have been talks about tearing down the house, but a previous 6-1 city council vote saved it.
“We began fundraising and getting the National Registry application put together and doing everything we had to do to make that happen, and now, they’re being asked to again come back and say, ‘Well, maybe we want to change our mind again,’” Morgan said.
Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe — a lifelong resident of Pine Castle — and former Belle Isle City Commissioner Bobby Lance spoke out at the meeting.
“We are an amazing county that has moved forward with everything we’re doing innovative, and it is an honor to have such a beautiful historic site in our community, and we just want to do everything we can to protect it,” Uribe said. “I’m even open to considering moving the house, but destroying it would be so detrimental to the history of Pine Castle, to Orange County and to this community as a whole.”
The council voted during the Wednesday meeting to have city leaders try to renegotiate the matter further.
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