Work has begun on converting the former Lincoln Middle School/Abilene High School campus into Abilene Heritage Square, an entertainment and civic venue. Once completed, the 1920s, 105,000-squre-foot building will offer a 700-seat auditorium, a new, centralized location for the Abilene Public Library and an extension of the Grace Museum.

The estimated cost for the renovations at 1699 S. First St. is $41.5 million, which includes the furnishings. The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, closed in 2007. In December 2019, the Abilene City Council transferred ownership of the property to Abilene Heritage Square Inc., a nonprofit organization.

The effort, right now, is involved in clean-up work. A specific timeline for reconstruction was not immediately available.

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