The organization that purchased the Old YMCA building on Broad Street asked the Selma City Council a favor or sorts Tuesday evening; a favor they might not be able to fulfill.

Nancy Bennett, with the Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Society, asked the council to waive the building license fee and provide, in writing, permission allowing construction crews to block off the sidewalk and half of the frontage parking during what is projected to be a 9-month project.

Bennett asked for the waiver considering the fact the society is a non-profit organization.

“I know we have done this for churches when they have done projects on their property, on their churches,” Selma City Councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw said. “I am not sure if this is the same thing and if this would not set a precedent that we would have to be careful of in the future.”

Bennett said the organization, including the purchase of the building, has already spent in excess of $77,000 on the building. Some of those costs have also been tied up in engineering fees, environmental services and other planning.

Bennett said the organization’s plans are to continue to stabilize the historic downtown building and reroof the facility.

She added the organization has a pre-bid meeting with potential contractors in mid-July and hope to have bids awarded for the stabilization and roofing project the first of August with construction beginning a few weeks later.

“I am told the need to block off the streets will only be for six months, but I am asking for nine months so I don’t have to come back and ask again if the project goes longer,” Bennett said.

Rather than approving either of Bennett’s requests Tuesday, council president Cecil Williamson asked research be done on if the council has approved such waivers for similar projects in the past and has scheduled a decision for the council’s next meeting on July 10.