NORWAY – Historical Society curator Charles Longley said Wednesday that if the society is able to obtain the Gingerbread House, it could eventually provide ample space to display lots of historical artifacts now in the museum’s attic and cellar.

“We have a ton of stuff. What we need is space,” said Longley of artifacts such as a piano, local artist paintings, three decades of negatives from a local photo studio, Fire Department memorabilia, ice-cutting tools, a stove and a butter churn housed in the attic and cellar of the Norway Historical Museum on Main Street.

The society is expected to submit a proposal to C’s Inc., owner of the building, by April 15 to move the building possibly down the street, according to Ed Snook, C’s Inc. chief financial officer.

C’s Inc. is a holding company for Sun Media, publishers of the Sun Journal and Advertiser-Democrat newspapers.

“They want to move it. We would like to see that happen,” Snook said.

The plan to move it down the street onto town-owned property by the dam near the intersection of Main and Pleasant streets may require the newspaper company to give up some land for the setback requirements, Snook said.

Town Manager David Holt said he has not yet recommended the tentative plan to selectmen.

“I’m in favor of studying it. That’s just what ought to take place,” Holt said. I think the town wants to cooperate, but we’re not offering any money. They (the society) have to demonstrate there’s a good plan in place so we don’t have another old building sitting there.”

Snook said the proposal will also include a budget that will specify moving costs, estimated at this time to be about $25,000, and things like fixing broken windows and heating costs.

“No one wants to see it moved just to sit and wallow,” he said.

Society Task Force Chairman Pat Shearman declined to discuss the plan specifics, but society board member Larry Glatz said Wednesday, “I can say the historical society is very much in favor of not losing the building.”

The society has met several times with Snook, representatives of Norway Downtown, Holt and other interested parties including the Western Maine Arts Group, which owns the building that houses its art gallery on the western side of the Gingerbread House.

Tally Decato of Paris said the arts center is not interested in owning the Gingerbread House but is interested in the future of the building.

“The arts center is very supportive. We’d like that whole area to be developed into an area that would draw people to a park-like area,” she said.

“We’re the only property on that block that isn’t owned by the Sun Journal. We have plans to stay,” said Aranka Matolcsy, when asked about the art center.

Matolcsy said the group is looking at grants to preserve the former one-room schoolhouse.

She said she would love to see the Gingerbread House moved and renovated.

“It’s such an eyesore. No one wants to look at the dilapidated building,” Matolcsy said.