Lansing’s oldest standing home to be moved, restored and reopened for community use

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Lansing’s oldest surviving home is preparing for a new chapter nearly 180 years after it was first built.

The historic Kilbourne-Mead House, located on Center St. in Lansing’s Old Town neighborhood, is expected to be moved one block north in the coming weeks as part of a large-scale restoration project aimed at preserving and sharing history with the community.

The Greek Revival-style home was built in 1847 for state Sen. Joseph Kilbourne, who is widely recognized as playing a critical role in making Lansing Michigan’s the capital city.

“I truly believe that this house, if it had not been built for Kilbourn, if he had not taken a deal with Seymour, and voted to put Lansing in as the capital, the capital would not be here,” said Bradly Rakowski, owner of Bradly’s HG and the home’s owner.

Rakowski and his husband, Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope, purchased the home after learning it faced possible demolition. Rakowski said months of researching the property’s history convinced him the home was too significant to lose.

The nearly 4,000-square-foot home has extensive damage, including termite issues, water damage, and a failing stacked-stone foundation. Rather than demolish the structure, the owners plan to relocate it to a vacant parcel they already own, just a block north.

Rakowski said the opportunity unexpectedly came together after years of maintaining the empty lot that came with the purchase of his Old Town business.

“We’ve been mowing the lawn and shoveling the walks, and we’re like, what are we gonna do with this property?” he told News 10.

The move is expected to happen sometime in June once permits are finalized. Crews will lift the post-and-beam structure from its current foundation and transport it one block north before placing it on a new foundation for renovation work.

Inside the home, Rakowski said pieces of the original structure are still being uncovered and preserved during the restoration process.

“We found a wall with the original wallpaper from the 1840s. We’re gonna do a really cool project with that,” he added that they’re finding “pieces of baseboard around the house” that they will “strip that down, refinish it, and then we’re going to use it as mirror surrounds in the bathrooms.”

Once completed, the restored home will feature five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, multiple living spaces, and updated amenities while maintaining many of its historic design elements.

But Rakowski said the long-term goal is not to turn the home into a private residence.

Instead, the home will operate as an Airbnb and community gathering space designed to host visitors, fundraisers, events, and annual public tours focused on Lansing history and historic preservation.

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