NATCHEZ — Work is expected to begin soon, perhaps by week’s end, on the Eola Hotel in downtown Natchez.

Natchez City Planner Riccardo “Rico” Giani said demolition of the interior could begin as soon as this week as well as minor exterior work on the courtyard wall on the Pearl Street side of the building.

“They are actually going to wrap the building with construction fences,” Giani said.

The exterior wrap will bear graphics advertising geared toward Balloon Race patrons stating that the building is expected to be complete by the 2019 Natchez Balloon Race.

Giani said contractors had obtained a permit to begin interior demolition, and he expects them to submit designs for the interior construction to begin within the next two to three weeks.

Virginia Attorney Robert Lubin purchased the Eola in 2014 and plans to remodel the building into a 70- to 80-room hotel.

In September 2017, Lubin said he planned to turn the facility in to a senior living apartment complex, but after pushback from the community, Lubin decided to keep the facility as a hotel.