ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A project is now officially underway to repurpose a hotel that’s sat abandoned on E Hwy 80 in Abilene for years.

During a meeting Thursday morning, Abilene city council members voted to conditionally permit multi-family occupancy at the old Abilene Hotel because the new owners plan to turn it into an extended stay facility or multi-family development.

If those plans don’t work out, it will be converted back into an overnight hotel, but before anything can happen, the property must undergo extensive repairs.

The building was nearly condemned by the City of Abilene because of asbestos and other ongoing issues.

It was initially slated to be a home for veterans, but unfortunately, that fell through.