ORLANDO, FLA. (WSVN) - A new highway expansion in Central Florida is threatening to teardown a historic home near Sanford.
The home built in the 1800s carries a generational history with it.
As plans of the highway expansion looms, the homeowner Becky Burke is left grappling with a difficult choice.
“There’s so much family history here. I guess that’s what makes it the hardest,” said Burke. “My husband and I had worked really hard to get this house to a new location. It was in my husband’s family from the 40s.”
The house was built on love—Burke said her husband, Ken, moved the home onto this property more than two decades ago, pulling wire, building new front and back porches.
“That was quite a feat,” said Burke. “I think I wired every outlet in the house.”
To Burke it’s much more than just a home, it’s a legacy.
“Knowing that it was Ken’s family, his history; his grandfather passed away here, he passed away here,” she said. “I’m at about 10 months since Ken passed and I’m still kind of relearning myself, and I love it out here.”
Central Florida Expressway(CFX) recently told neighbors about the choice of alignment 2A for the connector.
The alignment would take Burke’s property and the historic home that sits on it.
She believes god has purpose for her, although it feels unclear.
“I’m always the one that’s trying to encourage other people and love on them and care for them, and now, I’m in this place where I don’t know where God is leading me,” said Burke.
Whether she has the strength to relocate the home again remains unknown to her, this all depends on how much she receives through the eminent domain process and how much land CFX takes.
“If the legacy ends with me, then that’s fine, I’m ok with that. But the emotional loss, it’s like, one more thing. One more thing to break my heart, one more thing to make me feel just a little overwhelmed and sad,” said Burke.
The CFX authority is planning two public meetings on the matter for neighbors to weigh in, both are slated to take place within the next month.
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