BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Metro Council has overturned its decision to condemn an infamous abandoned apartment complex.

On Wednesday, the council flipped its previous decision to condemn the Brandywine Apartments after its current owner paid back debts owed to the city. The original vote was made in September 2017 after the complex spent years without power or running water.

In 2016, Entergy cut off all electricity to the complex after residents accrued more than $60,000 in energy costs owed to the company. Since then, the property has become a hotbed for crime, including an alleged arson that destroyed one of the buildings.

Businessman Roy Maughan Jr. and City Holdings LLC, bought the majority of the condos in August 2016. With the council's reversal this week, he says he plans to demolish the buildings and turn the area into a senior living center.