Present

Through Restoration & Careful Attention to Detail, the Howey Mansion is Restored to its Glory

Our Owners

Brothers Brad and Clay Cowherd are Florida natives, having grown up in Winter Park. Their father and grandfather were longtime participants in the Orlando real estate and development scene, making the brothers third-generation real estate investors. Frequents to their lake cottage in Yalaha, along with the bakery, Blue Bayou, and Mission Inn, the brothers had long been interested in the then-abandoned and decrepit Howey Mansion, fostering a desire to return it to its former glory and render it an asset to its community once more. It's been the Cowherd Family's privilege and honor to restore the Howey Mansion alongside many historical experts, talented partners, and skilled tradespeople.
Brad lives in Orlando with his wife Christina and their five children. Avid travelers, the family runs a faith-based nonprofit in Guatemala, providing wood-burning stoves to the rural Mayan population. Clay lives in Charleston with his wife Rachael, who is a faculty physician at the Medical University of South Carolina. They enjoy spending time with their two young children, Quinn and Stellan.

Our Restoration Managers

On July 14, 2017 we began an amazing adventure. Brad and Clay Cowherd, our nephews, had just closed on the purchase of the long-abandoned historic Howey Mansion. We were there to change the locks and begin the restoration of this magical home. We had been researching the history of the mansion for many months in anticipation of this very day but nothing could have prepared us for what lay ahead.

We are semi-retired and, as a couple, we brought our unique work experiences and a love for all things old to this project. We, along with our beloved boxer Lucie, slept in the Mansion that first night with no air conditioning and boards still on the windows. For the next 9 months we lived in the Mansion and worked with our nephews to find and supervise the absolutely amazing craftsmen who lovingly worked their magic to bring this central Florida landmark back to life. It is they who deserve the credit for many of the beautiful details that were able to be saved.
We will be forever grateful for the opportunity we were given to be a part of this amazing transformation. It brings us such great joy to see this once abandoned and deteriorating beauty come roaring back to life and to know that the Howey Mansion will be filled with love, laughter and community for a very long time to come.