The former Bowie elementary school in downtown Bryan, which was slated for demolition two months ago, is being saved.

The property at Sims and 26th was sold Wednesday to the owners of two local companies.

Gessner Engineering will be moving a combined 85 employees from two existing locations after the restoration is completed on the structure that was built in 1918 but has been closed the last 14 years.

Johanna Gessner says the goal is to keep as much of the exterior, and a timetable has not been set to restore the interior.

The former owner, who attempted to convert the building into apartments, saw the structure condemned by the Bryan building and standards commission. While the former owner appealed the condemnation order, city staff assisted the new owners in acquiring the property.