As the city of Temple continues to grow, developers are planning to bring new life to the historic Hawn Hotel by converting the building into 24 luxury apartment units.

Built in 1929, the Hawn Hotel has stood empty since the late 1970’s.

The company that owns the building, Criterion Management Group, plans to invest $8 million into the project, Managing Principal Bryan Smith said.

Smith said once the apartments are complete, the company will also renovate the Arcadia Theater, which is attached to the Hawn Hotel.

"Kind of rejuvenate the grandeur of the time that was available then," Smith said.

Smith said the building has already gone through some interior demolition and structural tests.

The next steps will be securing financing, developing floor plans, and distributing marketing packets.

The company hopes to submit design and construction plans to the city of Temple at the beginning of 2017.

Smith said the estimated construction start date for the Hawn Hotel is late 2018, followed by the Arcadia Theater the following year.

Terice Schneider was born and raised in Temple, and is interested in living in the Hawn Hotel once the renovations are complete.

"I grew up coming to this area, going to the Arcadia to movies, going to the Hawn,” Schneider said. “We even were allowed to go swim at the Hawn sometimes, it was very special."

Downtown Development Coordinator Sherri Street said the building’s restoration will boost Temple’s economy as well.

"Once residential is downtown, then businesses develop around that residential," Street said.

Developers are already looking for interested tenants on social media through the Criterion Management Group Facebook page.