TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Terre Haute City decided at Thursday night’s meeting to deny a tax abatement to renovate the old YMCA at 6th and Poplar Streets into apartments.

The Commonwealth company wanted to turn the historic building into an apartment complex and they also wanted to build new townhomes on the property next to the old Y.

Commonwealth said that they needed a 10-year tax abatement for the 4!0 million affordable housing project or it couldn’t move forward.

The council voted 5-4 to deny the request.

City Councilman Karrum Nassar said that he had received calls from those that own rental property in the area that they felt that the city would be subsidizing their competitors.

While some on the council feel that their will be another project come along others are not so sure as the property has been vacant since 2006 and other developers have backed away from renovating the old Y.

The Vice President of Development for Commonwealth said they’ll have to go back to the drawing board to decide if anything else can be done.

Indiana Landmarks has placed the building on the groups 10 most endangered buildings.