There’s something ‘historic’ in the way of CT Children’s expansion. Here’s the plan to resolve it.

With several historic homes standing in the way of a major expansion of Connecticut Children’s, Hartford leaders have a plan to save them and it’s backed by many others.

The idea? Pick them up and move them.

Three historic properties, all located on Lincoln Street within the city’s Frog Hollow neighborhood, were slated for demolition to make way for the Connecticut Children’s expansion. But in a proposal involving Mayor Luke Bronin, hospital leaders, the Frog Hollow NRZ, LAZ Parking, and the Hartford Preservation Alliance, those properties are now set to be preserved.

Earlier this year, Connecticut Children’s held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $326 million clinical tower, the largest expansion to the hospital since construction began on the current building in 1994. The land where the properties currently are located will house part of the hospital’s new parking garage and pedestrian walkway. The current garage is shared with Hartford Hospital.

LAZ Parking, with its headquarters in Hartford, has teamed up with the hospital to build the new garage at the corner of Washington and Lincoln Streets, across from the new tower’s construction site. The three properties, located at 11, 15, and 17 Lincoln St., have all been recently purchased by LAZ Parking for a combined total of approximately $2.3 million, according to city records.

Properties at 11 and 17 Lincoln St. date back to the late 19th century, while the property at 15 Lincoln St. is a historic reproduction home built in 2004, according to the Hartford Preservation Alliance. A fourth house, located at 7 Lincoln St., also needs to be moved to make way for the garage. However, that structure has not yet been purchased by LAZ Parking.

“It’s a pretty big process to move a house,” said Mary Falvey, executive director for the Hartford Preservation Alliance. “The houses have to be raised up, foundations have to be put in at the new locations, and several permits have to be issued. There will probably be some partial interior demolition as well.”

Falvey, who advocates for preserving the city’s historic properties, said the official position of the HPA was to leave the properties where they are. However, she said the hospital came up with the proposal to move them early on in discussions.

“We thought it was a good compromise,” Falvey said.

“I’ve been with HPA since 2008 and nobody has moved a house since that time in the city. It’s a monumental task, even to move something just across the street. It’s better than demolishing them.”

LAZ Parking’s real estate LLC, LAZ Parking Realty Investors, is currently in the process of signing a contract with a house lifting business, said Larry Stubbs, a partner with LAZ Realty Investors. The company said that they hope to have a contract signed in the next few weeks but no official price tag has been worked out. Moving a single house can cost millions.

“We have identified preliminary sites to move the properties to within the Frog Hollow area of the city,” Stubbs said. “I’m actually meeting tomorrow with one of the house movers to weigh in on the routes to the vacant lots where these will be moved to. Then it’s a process to clear the roads and move power lines. We’re mapping that out right now.”

Stubbs, who handles all of LAZ’s real estate activity, said that the company hopes to have all of the properties moved to their new locations by February or March. Construction on the garage is expected to begin by early next spring.

The plan involves transplanting the historic homes to nearby vacant lots. The city has identified 185-187 Affleck St, 20-22 Putnam St, and 175 Lawrence St. as potential candidates. All of the vacant lots are located within a half-mile of the homes. The properties would then be transferred over to the Southside Institution Neighborhood Alliance to maintain them as homes. The city also plans on transferring a blighted three-story property at 59 Lincoln St. to the non-profit to rehabilitate.

SINA, a non-profit organization that partners between Trinity College, Connecticut Children’s, and Hartford Hospital, helps rehab historic properties and provides homeownership opportunities for residents in the city’s South End. As part of the deal, the vacant lots will be transferred to SINA for $10 per parcel.

“These parcels will then be utilized by SINA for relocation of the historic structures as homeowner occupied residences, or alternatively to provide other homeownership opportunities on those sites,” said Mayor Luke Bronin in a letter to city council.

“These structures contribute to the fabric of the Frog Hollow Historic District, and their preservation is important to the city and the historical district.”

The resolution to authorize the transfer of the vacant lots to SINA has not yet been approved by city council.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com