AURORA -- After moving to this village three years ago, Cynthia Koepp and John Place began looking for their ideal home to purchase. They believed they had found the perfect one in what is known as Lyon House, but when it became available, Wells College purchased the property.

Knowing that they wished to have a home close to the college, they were given first opportunity to purchase any college-owned property to go on the market.

Koepp has been teaching at the college for 16 years.

In February, the college decided to sell two properties, one of them Lyon House. Yet, after careful consideration, the couple decided against that particular property.

The second property, known as Lake House, a four-unit dwelling that is currently vacant, sparked an idea within the couple.

"In mid-February, we spent some time in Lake House, excited about the prospect and challenge," Koepp told members of the village planning board, and Community Preservation Panel during a joint public hearing Wednesday evening.

But after a walk-through of the house by the couple's contractor it was decided that the renovations would cost far more than the house was worth.

"His appraisal was full of bad news," Koepp said. "Lake House has many problems, and some are severe and very expensive to remedy."

The property's problems include an unstable foundation, rotting wood, moisture, dry and wet rot, leaking windows and an infestation of bugs.

"Since it had never been constructed as a good solid carriage house or barn in the first place, it lacked a certain structural integrity from the beginning that had never been remedied," Koepp said.

Next door to Lake House is another property known as Webb House that is destined to be demolished. The couple found the house to be everything they wanted in a home and now wish to relocate the structure to the Lake House property, which would mean the demolition of Lake House.

"It actually felt morally wrong to invest so much time and money into a mediocre structure when a perfectly good and sound house with great historical integrity was right next door and about to be lost forever," Koepp said.

Village attorney Andy Fusco said that proper measures have to be taken before a formal vote on the demolition proposal can be brought before the board.

"There has to be a declaration of a lead agency, as well as an environmental review," he said. "There needs to be an environmental submittal and the planning board intends to do this at next week's meeting."

Fusco assured residents that there would be sufficient time for public opinion on the proposal.