Orlando (CNN) Barbara Poma didn't want to give up the gay nightclub that, for 12 years, had stood as a monument to her deceased brother. On Tuesday, she said, she realized letting the Orlando club go was the best way to keep its legacy intact.

Calling it an "emotional and bittersweet day," Poma confirmed that the city of Orlando intends to buy Pulse nightclub so that it can be turned into a memorial for the 49 people killed in a June massacre.

The City Council will vote Monday on whether to approve the $2.25 million purchase of the Florida nightclub, according to a statement from the city.

"Never could I have imagined that the building we built as Pulse Nightclub would not be a part of my daily life. Pulse was a huge part of my heart, my soul and my family," she said in a statement. "As difficult as it is for me to part with Pulse, this transaction ensures that what has become a sacred site will be properly memorialized for generations to come."

Poma's brother, John, died of AIDS in 1991. Poma and a partner opened Pulse in 2004 "to keep her brother's spirit alive," naming the club after his heartbeat. The club was meant to embrace the gay lifestyle and be a community partner. It referred to itself as more than "just another gay club."

After a 29-year-old gunman claiming allegiance to ISIS perpetrated the nation's worst mass shooting there in June, killing more than four dozen people and wounding 53 others, Poma realized the nightclub must stand as a far grander memorial than originally intended.

Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden place flowers at a memorial Thursday, June 16, for the victims of the nightclub shooting in Orlando. At least 49 people were killed in the massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Hide Caption 1 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People remember the victims during a vigil at an LGBT community center in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday, June 14. Hide Caption 2 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Jean Dasilva, left, is comforted by Felipe Soto as they mourn the loss of their friend Javier Jorge-Reyes on June 14. They were visiting a makeshift memorial at Pulse, the gay nightclub where the shooting took place. Hide Caption 3 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Britain's Prince William and his wife, Catherine, sign a book of condolences at the U.S. Embassy in London on June 14. Hide Caption 4 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack A vigil for the Orlando victims is held in New Delhi on June 14. Hide Caption 5 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Thousands gather in Orlando on Monday, June 13, to pay tribute to those who were killed the day before. Hide Caption 6 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack The Eiffel Tower in Paris is illuminated in rainbow colors on June 13. Hide Caption 7 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack A woman lights a candle during a vigil in Sydney on June 13. Hide Caption 8 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Runners pass under half-staff flags at the Washington Monument on June 13. Hide Caption 9 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Glyn T. Davies, right, gestures to members of the LGBT community outside the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 13. They were holding a vigil for the victims. Hide Caption 10 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Students in Mumbai, India, light candles near a rangoli, an Indian form of art created on the ground, on June 13. Hide Caption 11 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack White roses and rainbow flags are displayed in front of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin on June 13. Hide Caption 12 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People gather for a vigil in Seoul, South Korea, on June 13. Hide Caption 13 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack The city of Melbourne posted this image on its Twitter account June 13 "as a mark of respect for those touched by the attack in Orlando. Town Hall is lit in the rainbow #LoveIsLove." Hide Caption 14 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Mourners hold an LED sign as they march during a vigil in Dallas on Sunday, June 12. Hide Caption 15 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the musical "Hamilton," delivers a sonnet at the Tony Awards to pay tribute to the Orlando victims. Hide Caption 16 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack A rainbow flag flies at half-staff on the Space Needle in Seattle on June 12. Hide Caption 17 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Henry Duong pays tribute during a memorial service in San Diego. Hide Caption 18 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack One World Trade Center is lit in rainbow colors June 12 in New York. Hide Caption 19 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Mourners hold up signs during a vigil in Washington on June 12. Hide Caption 20 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Mourners gather during a vigil in front of the White House on June 12. President Barack Obama called the mass shooting an "act of terror" in remarks to the nation. Hide Caption 21 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Two women light candles during a vigil in front of the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile, on June 12. Hide Caption 22 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Mourners observe a moment of silence during a vigil in Atlanta. Hide Caption 23 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Ryan Gibson, left, embraces Tabor Winstead during a vigil in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 12. Hide Caption 24 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack A man injured in the attack stands with other mourners as they attend a memorial service at an Orlando church. Hide Caption 25 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack Participants in the Los Angeles gay pride parade show their support for the victims on June 12. Hide Caption 26 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People hold candles near Rome's Colosseum as they take part in a ceremony on June 12. Hide Caption 27 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack A man places a handprint on a makeshift memorial near the nightclub where the attack took place. Hide Caption 28 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People gather for a vigil June 12 outside the Stonewall Inn in New York. Stonewall is considered the birthplace of the gay rights movement. Hide Caption 29 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People gather in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to mourn the Orlando victims on June 12. Hide Caption 30 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People gather for a vigil near the Beaubourg art center in Paris on June 12. Hide Caption 31 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People line up to donate blood at a blood bank in Orlando. Hide Caption 32 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack People show their support for Orlando during the Los Angeles gay pride parade. Hide Caption 33 of 34 Photos: World reacts to Orlando attack The Rev. Jeffrey Montoya leads a prayer in Greenfield, Wisconsin, on June 12. Hide Caption 34 of 34

"The memories of those who were taken or were harmed, and the legacy of Pulse Nightclub and why it was established, will be preserved forever," she said. "Since the day of this terrible tragedy, my commitment has been that the heart of Pulse Nightclub keep beating and now we can all be assured that will happen."

Poma promised to be involved in the plans for a memorial and predicted "a long process" with community input.

If the purchase is approved, the city will review the land survey, title and environmental audit during the due diligence period before closing by December 30, the statement said.

"This location is now a permanent part of Orlando's history. It's the site of the most tragic event that has ever occurred in the city of Orlando," Mayor Buddy Dyer said in the statement. "We want our entire community to be a part of this site. With the city owning the property, we can engage in a public process to determine the future of the Pulse property and building."

Dyer and Poma had preliminary discussions about the possibility of the city buying the site over the summer, a representative for Poma told CNN in August.

"We need to determine some period of time that we leave it exactly as is with some adequate fencing because there will be people ... that want to travel here to see it as it exists without making modifications," Dyer told WMFE radio during an August interview.

Dyer imagined that period of time would be about a year and then the city would "transition to a permanent memorial," he said.

The nightclub was returned to Poma after police conducted a weekslong investigation. Poma initially said she thought she would fix the damage to Pulse and reopen it at some point. Later, she said she was contemplating the future of the club, which she called "a sacred place."

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Visitors have adorned a chain-link fence surrounding Pulse with flags, flowers, mementos and messages.

The city has said it plans to erect a paver garden as a permanent memorial. The names of the victims will be on stones around Lake Beauty Park outside Orlando Regional Medical Center, where many of the wounded were treated.

The site was also home to 49 wooden crosses, made by an Illinois carpenter, that were displayed outside the hospital. They are now in climate-controlled storage.

The Orange County Regional History Center plans to use them and items from other temporary memorials as part of a permanent memorial, once a site has been determined.