NATCHEZ — After a change of heart by its owner, the Natchez Eola Hotel may soon be back in business.

Eola owner and Virginia attorney Robert Lubin told the Natchez Board of Aldermen Tuesday that he is exploring the idea of reopening the building as a hotel instead of senior-living apartments.

Mayor Darryl Grennell requested that Lubin appear before the board to give an update on the project, citing concerns about the future of the building.

Lubin purchased the building in 2014, and his plans to turn the building into apartments were approved by the city last year, but construction has not started.

Downtown business owners and city leaders have voiced concerns that the hotel’s closure has negatively impacted business and tourism.

Lubin said the project was delayed after the plans for the apartments had to be reconfigured following approval. In December, Lubin estimated construction would start in late January or mid-February.

Lubin presented the aldermen with a letter from his lender, saying the apartments project was close to proceeding and could likely start in the next 60-90 days.

However, Lubin said he had received multiple requests from people in Natchez — as well as his lender — to reconsider the project and open the Eola again as a hotel.

Lubin said based on his previous experience with purchasing the Eola in 1992 and the hotel business not working out, he had decided against that option for reopening the Eola. He said, however, he could easily rework the project as a hotel, if the city felt it was the best use for the property.

“Maybe what Natchez needs is for this building to be restored as a hotel,” Lubin said.

Lubin explained his involvement with the restoration of the historic Markham Hotel in Gulfport. When he purchased the building, Lubin had originally planned luxury apartments for the dilapidated hotel.

Now, Lubin said, the Markham will house a Hyatt Place hotel. Lubin said a similar reconfiguration could be done for the Eola.

“At the end of the day, … (it’s about) does the business work and is the community happy,” Lubin said.

Lubin said reworking the plans to open the Eola as a hotel would cause a delay, but construction could start as early as November.

The current layout of the hotel, Lubin said, would need to be reworked so that rooms are larger. Instead of 125 rooms as in the previous hotel, he said the hotel would be better suited with 75-85 larger rooms.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, in whose ward the hotel is located, thanked Lubin for reconsidering the project and said a hotel would likely be in the best interest of downtown development and tourism.

“I think most … people would more appreciate it being a hotel,” she said.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Smith said she has heard concerns about the condition of the exterior of the building and the area surrounding the hotel. Smith asked if Lubin could do anything to remedy that situation.

Lubin said he was in contact with his team Tuesday to look at stabilizing the building and ensuring the outside was protected from further deterioration.

In other news from the meeting:

4After a more than two-hour public hearing during which representatives from both sides gave impassioned remarks, the aldermen decided to table a proposal to turn the former General Hospital into senior-living apartments and seek an attorney general’s opinion on the legality of the proposal submitted and whether it followed the requirements for the city’s request for proposals.

Resident Bob Adams raised concerns that the proposal from Magnolia Medical Foundation did not adhere to the guidelines of the RFP and should be declared null and void.

At the request of City Attorney Bob Latham, the aldermen decided to seek an AG’s opinion.